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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. ball — a dance
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. race — humankind
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. charge — electricity
  10. race — the arms race
  11. pop — music
  12. ball — a great time
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. pop — soda
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. pitch — completely
  17. charge — a price
  18. race — a contest
  19. bear — the animal
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. charge — in control
  23. pop — to visit
  24. bear — the animal

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