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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. net — for catching
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. stem — to come from
  9. net — in sport
  10. fine — high quality
  11. season — of the year
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. net — after costs
  17. season — in sport
  18. fork — in a road
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. fine — all right
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. bowl — a football final

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