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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. saw — the tool
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. fork — in a road
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. mug — to rob
  7. hand — help
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rock — music
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. saw — the tool
  14. staff — employees
  15. staff — employees
  16. hand — in cards
  17. staff — a stick
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. pitch — completely
  20. vault — a safe
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. mug — a cup
  23. mug — a face
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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