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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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Word bank
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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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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. game — wild animals
  4. can — to be able to
  5. season — of the year
  6. root — the cause
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. can — a tin
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. root — of a word
  13. season — in sport
  14. ball — a dance
  15. root — of a plant
  16. ball — a great time
  17. fine — all right
  18. lean — thin
  19. fine — high quality
  20. game — a match
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. lean — to bend

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