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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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. content — happy
  3. fall — to drop
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. bound — obliged
  6. fall — to drop
  7. game — a match
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. fall — the season
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. content — the amount
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bound — certain
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. sharp — clever
  21. game — wild animals
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. bound — tied together
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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