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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 usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. cell — in biology
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. capital — a city
  13. mate — to breed
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. mate — a friend
  16. capital — money
  17. cell — a phone
  18. mate — a partner

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