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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. track — a path
  8. field — farmland
  9. saw — the tool
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. field — a subject
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. saw — the tool
  20. field — for sport
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. track — to keep track
  23. pound — a weight
  24. track — a song

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