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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.

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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. fork — in a road
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. ball — a dance
  5. prune — to trim
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. scale — in music
  11. prune — to trim
  12. fine — high quality
  13. ball — a great time
  14. staff — a stick
  15. rush — hurry
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. staff — employees
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. board — a committee
  21. staff — employees
  22. scale — size or range
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. fine — all right

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