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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 had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. fork — in a road
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. root — of a word
  8. present — a gift
  9. chair — a leader
  10. present — the time now
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. hand — in cards
  14. row — a line
  15. root — the cause
  16. root — of a plant
  17. pitch — completely
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. present — there
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. fine — high quality
  23. fine — all right
  24. hand — help

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