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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. can — to be able to
  3. cue — for pool
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. fork — in a road
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. can — a tin
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. can — a tin
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. scale — in music
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. cue — a hint
  18. foot — a measure
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. snap — to click
  22. cue — a signal
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. scale — size or range

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