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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. stand — to bear
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — to be able to
  5. cue — a signal
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. can — a tin
  8. fork — in a road
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. charge — electricity
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. shower — to wash
  15. cue — for pool
  16. charge — in control
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. shower — rain
  21. charge — a price
  22. cue — a hint
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. dip — to sink

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