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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fork — in a road
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. pound — a weight
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. stand — to bear
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. season — of the year
  14. fall — to drop
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. fall — the season
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. season — in sport
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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