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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 usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. file — a tool
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. season — of the year
  7. firm — steady
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. season — in sport
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. firm — decided
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. firm — a company
  19. fork — in a road
  20. toast — bread
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. file — a line of people
  24. file — a document

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