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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. ground — the earth
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. stem — to come from
  11. perch — the fish
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. ground — a position
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. fork — in a road
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ground — crushed
  24. cabinet — ministers

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