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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. ball — a great time
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. row — to paddle
  5. field — for sport
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. bank — for money
  8. field — a subject
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. snap — to click
  12. bank — of a river
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. row — a line
  15. bank — for money
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. foot — a measure
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. ball — a dance
  22. field — farmland
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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