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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. capital — money
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. club — for dancing
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. capital — a city
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. mine — for digging
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. board — a committee
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — to be able to
  19. can — a tin
  20. club — for golf
  21. board — to get on
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. club — a group
  24. lie — to recline

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