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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. can — to be able to
  4. field — a subject
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. rule — government
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. rule — a law
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. fork — in a road
  13. mug — a face
  14. scale — size or range
  15. can — a tin
  16. mug — to rob
  17. bore — to drill
  18. field — farmland
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. can — a tin
  21. bore — to tire
  22. mug — a cup
  23. field — for sport
  24. scale — in music

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