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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. ball — a dance
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. ball — a great time
  5. pass — a permit
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bear — the animal
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. bear — the animal
  18. fork — in a road
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. wake — a trail
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. pass — to spend time

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