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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. court — for sport
  4. fork — in a road
  5. last — final
  6. object — a thing
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. object — to protest
  9. snap — to click
  10. last — to go on
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. last — finally
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. court — of law
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. object — an aim
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. court — of a king
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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