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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.

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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. charge — in control
  5. file — a tool
  6. charge — electricity
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. game — wild animals
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. foot — a measure
  11. cue — a signal
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. cue — for pool
  14. charge — a price
  15. file — a document
  16. cue — a hint
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. game — a match
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. file — a line of people
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. pitch — completely

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