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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 120 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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. rest — a break
  4. mate — to breed
  5. mate — a friend
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. key — in music
  8. rest — what's left
  9. clip — to cut
  10. fork — in a road
  11. mug — a cup
  12. mug — to rob
  13. key — the most important part
  14. key — for a lock
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. clip — for paper
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. mug — a face
  21. squash — the sport
  22. clip — a video
  23. mate — a partner
  24. squash — to crush

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