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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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. foot — a measure
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. chip — to eat
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ball — a great time
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. current — of water
  12. hand — in cards
  13. hand — help
  14. current — electric
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. wind — moving air
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. current — happening now
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. chip — for betting
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. wind — moving air
  24. fork — to eat with

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