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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. fork — in a road
  6. can — a tin
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. root — of a plant
  9. can — to be able to
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. deal — to handle
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. rash — a series
  15. root — the cause
  16. rash — hasty
  17. game — a match
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. game — wild animals
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. root — of a word

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