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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. ground — crushed
  3. root — the cause
  4. field — farmland
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. field — a subject
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. root — of a word
  9. suit — clothes
  10. ground — a position
  11. suit — in cards
  12. craft — a skill
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. ground — the earth
  15. net — for catching
  16. root — of a plant
  17. field — for sport
  18. net — after costs
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. net — in sport
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. suit — to fit
  24. craft — boats

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