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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 116 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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. staff — a stick
  3. sharp — clever
  4. staff — employees
  5. club — for dancing
  6. net — in sport
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wound — an injury
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. vault — a safe
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. can — a tin
  17. net — after costs
  18. can — a tin
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. club — for golf
  21. staff — employees
  22. can — to be able to
  23. club — a group
  24. net — for catching

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