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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 usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. drill — army training
  4. drill — a practice
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. suit — in cards
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. drill — the tool
  9. cell — in biology
  10. ground — the earth
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. fork — in a road
  13. cell — a phone
  14. suit — clothes
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. suit — to fit
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. pitch — completely
  21. ground — a position
  22. kid — child
  23. ground — crushed
  24. kid — to tease

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