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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. suit — clothes
  4. ball — a dance
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — to fit
  7. root — of a word
  8. root — the cause
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. drill — the tool
  11. game — wild animals
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. game — a match
  14. tear — from crying
  15. root — of a plant
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. drill — army training
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. ball — a great time
  20. tear — from crying
  21. toast — bread
  22. tear — to rip
  23. drill — a practice
  24. fork — a garden tool

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