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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. roll — a list
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. stand — to bear
  5. fork — in a road
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. key — the most important part
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. key — in music
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. key — for a lock
  12. rest — what's left
  13. cap — a lid
  14. roll — a cake
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. rest — a break
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. cap — a hat
  20. cap — of ice
  21. rest — what's left
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. fork — to eat with

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