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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. key — in music
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. squash — the sport
  6. wind — moving air
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. key — for a lock
  9. object — an aim
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. wind — moving air
  12. object — a thing
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. key — the most important part
  17. squash — to crush
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. object — to protest
  22. fork — in a road
  23. date — the fruit
  24. date — on the calendar

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