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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. stock — goods
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. court — of a king
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stock — shares
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. branch — a division
  18. mine — for digging
  19. wake — a trail
  20. court — of law
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. court — for sport

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