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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. wake — a trail
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. present — the time now
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. key — the most important part
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. fine — high quality
  11. present — a gift
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. key — in music
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. craft — a skill
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. craft — boats
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. key — for a lock
  21. present — there
  22. fine — all right
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. fork — in a road

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