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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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. saw — the tool
  8. object — an aim
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. object — to protest
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. mine — for digging
  15. saw — the tool
  16. hand — in cards
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. hand — help
  19. pound — a weight
  20. object — a thing
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. hand — part of the body

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