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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. can — a tin
  3. bass — the fish
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. file — a line of people
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. fine — high quality
  12. file — a tool
  13. fork — in a road
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. can — to be able to
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ball — a great time
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. fine — all right
  20. file — a document
  21. bass — low music
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. can — a tin
  24. patient — a sick person

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