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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. press — to push
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. mark — a grade
  7. bear — the animal
  8. club — for dancing
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. fork — in a road
  11. press — newspapers
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. club — a group
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. bear — the animal
  19. pound — a weight
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. club — for golf
  23. press — a publisher
  24. mark — a trace

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