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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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. wound — an injury
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. season — in sport
  8. suit — clothes
  9. present — there
  10. season — of the year
  11. suit — to fit
  12. wound — an injury
  13. date — the fruit
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. suit — in cards
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. foot — a measure
  22. stand — to bear
  23. present — the time now
  24. present — a gift

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