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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 usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. rest — what's left
  3. pitch — completely
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. squash — the sport
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. fork — in a road
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. court — of law
  13. squash — to crush
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. court — of a king
  17. bore — to drill
  18. rest — a break
  19. rest — what's left
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. bore — to tire
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. court — for sport
  24. mouse — the animal

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