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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. pop — soda
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — a stick
  7. land — ground
  8. band — a music group
  9. band — a ring
  10. land — to come down
  11. fork — in a road
  12. rest — a break
  13. pop — to visit
  14. rest — what's left
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. land — a country
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pop — music
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. rest — what's left
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. staff — employees

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