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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. firm — a company
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. root — of a plant
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. can — a tin
  8. net — in sport
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. net — for catching
  11. can — a tin
  12. fork — in a road
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. root — of a word
  16. firm — decided
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. row — to paddle
  20. net — after costs
  21. can — to be able to
  22. root — the cause
  23. firm — steady
  24. fork — to eat with

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