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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. tube — the underground
  3. march — the month
  4. fork — in a road
  5. march — the month
  6. suit — in cards
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. suit — to fit
  11. suit — clothes
  12. bear — the animal
  13. charge — in control
  14. club — for dancing
  15. charge — electricity
  16. charge — a price
  17. club — for golf
  18. season — of the year
  19. club — a group
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. season — in sport
  22. bear — the animal
  23. tube — a container
  24. march — music

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