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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 usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. current — happening now
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. rest — what's left
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. rest — what's left
  8. chip — to eat
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. fork — in a road
  11. rest — a break
  12. current — electric
  13. spell — letters
  14. spell — a short time
  15. root — the cause
  16. root — of a word
  17. fine — high quality
  18. chip — for betting
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. fine — all right
  21. spell — magic
  22. current — of water
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. root — of a plant

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