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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 116 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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. cap — a hat
  3. spring — of water
  4. chip — for betting
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. saw — the tool
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pass — a permit
  10. spring — the season
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. saw — the tool
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. spring — a coil
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. chip — to eat
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. cap — a lid
  24. cap — of ice

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