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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. saw — the tool
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. rash — a series
  6. can — a tin
  7. rash — hasty
  8. perch — the fish
  9. can — to be able to
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. lean — thin
  14. game — wild animals
  15. fine — high quality
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. fine — all right
  21. saw — the tool
  22. game — a match
  23. can — a tin
  24. lean — to bend

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