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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. key — the most important part
  4. mark — a grade
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. perch — the fish
  7. key — in music
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. fork — in a road
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. can — a tin
  13. key — for a lock
  14. mark — a trace
  15. can — a tin
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. land — to come down
  21. can — to be able to
  22. land — ground
  23. land — a country
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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