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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. stem — to come from
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. squash — the sport
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. squash — to crush
  9. object — a thing
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. present — there
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. pitch — completely
  14. object — an aim
  15. key — in music
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. key — the most important part
  18. object — to protest
  19. present — the time now
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. fork — in a road
  24. key — for a lock

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