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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. fork — in a road
  4. firm — decided
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. charge — in control
  9. swing — to play on
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. firm — steady
  12. charge — a price
  13. root — of a plant
  14. swing — in golf
  15. root — of a word
  16. foot — a measure
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. ball — a dance
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. root — the cause
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. charge — electricity
  23. firm — a company
  24. swing — music

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