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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. spell — a short time
  3. mate — a friend
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. land — ground
  10. mate — a partner
  11. mate — to breed
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. spell — letters
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. land — to come down
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. spell — magic
  18. land — a country

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com