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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 met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. pitch — completely
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. kick — in football
  7. mark — a trace
  8. bear — the animal
  9. cue — a hint
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. bear — the animal
  12. mine — for digging
  13. cue — for pool
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. mark — a grade
  17. cue — a signal
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. bat — the animal
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. kick — with a leg

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