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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 usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. fork — in a road
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. ball — a great time
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rest — what's left
  7. track — a path
  8. ball — a dance
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. kid — child
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. wake — a trail
  14. track — a song
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. track — to keep track
  17. rest — a break
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. kid — to tease
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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