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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. cap — a hat
  4. cap — of ice
  5. press — newspapers
  6. cap — a lid
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. drill — army training
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. land — to come down
  11. stock — shares
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. fork — in a road
  14. stock — goods
  15. land — ground
  16. fine — all right
  17. fine — high quality
  18. press — a publisher
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. drill — a practice
  22. press — to push
  23. land — a country
  24. drill — the tool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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