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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 116 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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. fork — in a road
  6. suit — clothes
  7. mark — a grade
  8. march — the month
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. row — to paddle
  11. bear — the animal
  12. suit — to fit
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. mark — a trace
  15. row — a line
  16. march — the month
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. suit — in cards
  22. bear — the animal
  23. march — music
  24. racket — for tennis

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