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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 usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. pop — music
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. charge — in control
  5. charge — a price
  6. pop — soda
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. ball — a great time
  12. fork — in a road
  13. pop — to visit
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. toast — bread
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. charge — electricity
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. toast — the most admired

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