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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. firm — steady
  4. fork — in a road
  5. rest — a break
  6. object — to protest
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. net — in sport
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. bound — tied together
  12. net — after costs
  13. firm — a company
  14. firm — decided
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bound — obliged
  17. object — a thing
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bound — certain
  20. object — an aim
  21. net — for catching
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. temple — a place of worship

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