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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 120 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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. sharp — clever
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. bear — the animal
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. degree — an amount
  9. saw — the tool
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bear — the animal
  12. suit — clothes
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. suit — to fit
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. saw — the tool
  20. degree — temperature
  21. stand — to bear
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. degree — from a university
  24. sharp — exactly

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