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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. object — to protest
  3. content — happy
  4. cue — a hint
  5. perch — the fish
  6. cue — a signal
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. object — a thing
  9. fork — in a road
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. object — an aim
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. cue — for pool
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. content — the amount
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. trunk — of a car

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