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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. ground — the earth
  6. can — a tin
  7. land — ground
  8. land — a country
  9. ground — crushed
  10. suit — to fit
  11. object — an aim
  12. suit — clothes
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. can — to be able to
  15. object — to protest
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. object — a thing
  18. fork — in a road
  19. can — a tin
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. ground — a position
  23. land — to come down
  24. pound — a weight

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