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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. object — an aim
  3. object — a thing
  4. object — to protest
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. vault — a safe
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. toast — bread
  12. deal — to handle
  13. current — electric
  14. current — of water
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. scale — in music
  17. fork — in a road
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. scale — size or range
  24. current — happening now

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