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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 120 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 usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. fork — in a road
  3. lie — to recline
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bark — to shout
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. kick — in football
  18. court — of law
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. court — for sport
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. court — of a king

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