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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 is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. track — a song
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. chair — a leader
  5. net — in sport
  6. net — for catching
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. land — to come down
  9. land — ground
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. track — a path
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. track — to keep track
  15. land — a country
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. pass — a permit
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. net — after costs
  24. chair — a professorship

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