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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. saw — the tool
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. pop — soda
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. saw — the tool
  13. rest — a break
  14. pop — music
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. rest — what's left
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pop — to visit
  19. ball — a dance
  20. fork — in a road
  21. ball — a great time
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. rest — what's left

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