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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 usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. chair — a leader
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. fork — in a road
  6. rest — a break
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. track — a song
  10. track — to keep track
  11. current — of water
  12. track — a path
  13. bank — for money
  14. current — happening now
  15. rest — what's left
  16. tear — to rip
  17. current — electric
  18. bank — for money
  19. tear — from crying
  20. bank — of a river
  21. tear — from crying
  22. rest — what's left
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. chair — a professorship

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