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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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. track — a path
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. bear — the animal
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. suit — in cards
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. track — to keep track
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bear — the animal
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. capital — money
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. track — a song
  16. suit — clothes
  17. capital — a city
  18. foot — a measure
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. suit — to fit
  24. ruler — for measuring

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