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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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  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. net — after costs
  3. rock — music
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. suit — to fit
  8. can — a tin
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bank — for money
  11. suit — in cards
  12. prune — to trim
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. can — to be able to
  15. prune — to trim
  16. rock — a stone
  17. can — a tin
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. net — for catching
  20. bank — for money
  21. net — in sport
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. suit — clothes
  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