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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 116 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've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. fork — in a road
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. net — after costs
  10. deal — to handle
  11. spell — magic
  12. net — for catching
  13. net — in sport
  14. land — to come down
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bass — the fish
  17. bass — low music
  18. land — a country
  19. spell — letters
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. land — ground

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