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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. chair — a leader
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. land — ground
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. dip — to sink
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. land — a country
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. perch — the fish
  23. land — to come down
  24. fork — to eat with

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