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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. charge — in control
  8. vault — a safe
  9. fork — in a road
  10. firm — decided
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. scale — in music
  13. dip — to sink
  14. firm — steady
  15. firm — a company
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. scale — size or range
  20. charge — electricity
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. charge — a price
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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