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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. fork — in a road
  3. cap — a lid
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. march — the month
  6. bank — of a river
  7. fine — all right
  8. cap — of ice
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. net — in sport
  14. fine — high quality
  15. march — the month
  16. cap — a hat
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — for money
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. net — for catching
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. net — after costs
  24. march — music

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