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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. club — a group
  4. firm — decided
  5. track — a song
  6. club — for dancing
  7. firm — a company
  8. ground — crushed
  9. ground — a position
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. club — for golf
  13. track — to keep track
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. track — a path
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. firm — steady
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. ground — the earth

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