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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 ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. saw — the tool
  4. shower — rain
  5. suit — clothes
  6. field — for sport
  7. suit — to fit
  8. saw — the tool
  9. field — farmland
  10. firm — decided
  11. firm — a company
  12. fork — in a road
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. shower — to wash
  15. club — a group
  16. suit — in cards
  17. club — for golf
  18. firm — steady
  19. club — for dancing
  20. field — a subject
  21. board — a committee
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. board — to get on

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