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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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. bear — the animal
  5. object — an aim
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bear — the animal
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. band — a ring
  10. toast — bread
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. foot — a measure
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. object — a thing
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. object — to protest
  17. band — a music group
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. face — to confront
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. face — part of the head
  24. face — to point toward

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