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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 usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. land — ground
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. land — to come down
  7. fork — in a road
  8. bass — the fish
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. hand — in cards
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. hand — help
  15. land — a country
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bass — low music
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. bear — the animal
  24. wave — with your hand

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