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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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. bass — low music
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. suit — in cards
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. suit — to fit
  8. bat — the animal
  9. pop — music
  10. pop — to visit
  11. fine — all right
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. bound — certain
  14. suit — clothes
  15. bound — tied together
  16. pop — soda
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bound — obliged
  22. branch — a division
  23. fine — high quality
  24. bass — the instrument

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