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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. club — for dancing
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. club — a group
  6. club — for golf
  7. ball — a great time
  8. ball — a dance
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. game — a match
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. spring — the season
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. spring — a coil
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. game — wild animals
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. spring — of water
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. leaves — to go away

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