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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. present — there
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. ball — a great time
  9. present — a gift
  10. root — of a plant
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. present — the time now
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. root — of a word
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. root — the cause
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. fork — in a road

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