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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. charge — electricity
  3. hand — in cards
  4. fork — in a road
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. charge — in control
  7. bear — the animal
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. fine — high quality
  10. hand — help
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. kick — in football
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. charge — a price
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. bear — the animal
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. fine — all right
  24. kick — with a leg

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