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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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bank — for money
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. hand — in cards
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. bulb — for light
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. toast — bread
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. stock — shares
  16. last — to go on
  17. kick — in football
  18. bank — for money
  19. last — finally
  20. bulb — for light
  21. hand — help
  22. stock — goods
  23. last — final
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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