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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 120 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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. saw — the tool
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. face — part of the head
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. capital — money
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. saw — the tool
  11. spell — letters
  12. spell — magic
  13. capital — a city
  14. stand — to bear
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. current — electric
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. face — to point toward
  21. current — happening now
  22. spell — a short time
  23. face — to confront
  24. current — of water

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