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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. bound — tied together
  3. row — a line
  4. rest — what's left
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. rest — what's left
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bound — obliged
  11. present — the time now
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. rest — a break
  15. row — to paddle
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. bound — certain
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. fork — in a road
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. present — a gift
  22. present — there
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. row — a quarrel

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