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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. fork — in a road
  3. can — to be able to
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. net — after costs
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. spell — a short time
  9. net — in sport
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. scale — size or range
  13. net — for catching
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. scale — in music
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. mark — a trace
  18. lean — to bend
  19. spell — magic
  20. spell — letters
  21. mark — a grade
  22. lean — thin
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. can — a tin

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