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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — the tool
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. rest — what's left
  7. fine — all right
  8. fork — in a road
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. shower — rain
  11. shower — to wash
  12. content — the amount
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. fine — high quality
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. content — happy
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. rest — a break

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