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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. staff — employees
  3. swing — in golf
  4. staff — employees
  5. swing — to play on
  6. rock — music
  7. mug — to rob
  8. staff — a stick
  9. mug — a cup
  10. fork — in a road
  11. ground — a position
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. sharp — clever
  14. rock — a stone
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. swing — music
  17. ground — the earth
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. ground — crushed
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. mug — a face
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. fork — to eat 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