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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 120 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'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. cue — a hint
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. bear — the animal
  5. cue — a signal
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. craft — a skill
  9. rush — hurry
  10. ground — a position
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. cue — for pool
  13. bass — the fish
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. craft — boats
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bear — the animal
  20. ground — the earth
  21. bass — low music
  22. fork — in a road
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. ground — crushed

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