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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. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. land — to come down
  3. object — to protest
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. bear — the animal
  6. land — a country
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. object — an aim
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. season — of the year
  12. season — in sport
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. field — for sport
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. land — ground
  17. snap — to click
  18. field — a subject
  19. object — a thing
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. field — farmland
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. bear — the animal

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