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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. rash — hasty
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. hand — help
  5. bear — the animal
  6. mark — a trace
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. rash — a series
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. fork — in a road
  13. mark — a grade
  14. firm — steady
  15. prune — to trim
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. prune — to trim
  19. hand — in cards
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. firm — decided

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