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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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. charge — electricity
  7. cold — an illness
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. cue — a hint
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. fine — high quality
  14. cold — not warm
  15. scale — size or range
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. scale — in music
  18. cue — a signal
  19. fine — all right
  20. cue — for pool
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. charge — a price
  24. charge — in control

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