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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  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. bank — for money
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. can — to be able to
  4. saw — the tool
  5. fork — in a road
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. content — the amount
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — a tin
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. bank — of a river
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. row — a line
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bank — for money
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. row — to paddle
  21. saw — the tool
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. content — happy
  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