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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. board — to get on
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. suit — in cards
  5. season — in sport
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. wound — an injury
  8. rest — what's left
  9. suit — clothes
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. rest — what's left
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. suit — to fit
  18. season — of the year
  19. wound — an injury
  20. board — a committee
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. rest — a break

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