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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 116 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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. track — a path
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bass — low music
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bass — the fish
  7. file — a line of people
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. file — a tool
  11. deal — to handle
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. content — happy
  14. file — a document
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. content — the amount
  20. bear — the animal
  21. track — a song
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. track — to keep track
  24. bear — to put up 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