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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 usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. wound — an injury
  5. court — of a king
  6. club — a group
  7. court — for sport
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. club — for golf
  14. club — for dancing
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. court — of law
  18. perch — the fish
  19. wound — an injury
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. toast — bread
  23. fork — in a road
  24. perch — for a bird

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