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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 124 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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. rash — hasty
  5. spring — of water
  6. wound — an injury
  7. bank — of a river
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. bank — for money
  13. rash — a series
  14. spring — the season
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. bank — for money
  17. spring — a coil
  18. toast — bread

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