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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. bear — the animal
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. court — for sport
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. roll — a list
  8. roll — a cake
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. scale — in music
  11. snap — to click
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. track — to keep track
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. bear — the animal
  16. court — of law
  17. court — of a king
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. scale — size or range
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. track — a song
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. track — a path

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