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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. firm — a company
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. mate — to breed
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. mate — a partner
  8. fork — in a road
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. land — a country
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. firm — decided
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. mate — a friend
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. land — ground
  22. sharp — clever
  23. land — to come down
  24. firm — steady

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