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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 120 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. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. root — of a word
  5. wake — a trail
  6. ball — a dance
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. stand — to bear
  9. ball — a great time
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. root — the cause
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. craft — a skill
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. root — of a plant
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. mine — for digging
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. craft — boats

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