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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. capital — money
  5. charge — in control
  6. object — a thing
  7. present — a gift
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. present — there
  11. sharp — clever
  12. wind — moving air
  13. charge — a price
  14. charge — electricity
  15. present — the time now
  16. object — to protest
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. capital — a city
  19. wind — moving air
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. object — an aim
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. bay — a horse colour

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