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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. mark — a grade
  3. wind — moving air
  4. ground — a position
  5. cap — a hat
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. face — to confront
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. mark — a trace
  13. cap — of ice
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. face — part of the head
  16. wind — moving air
  17. ground — crushed
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. ground — the earth
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. cap — a lid
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. face — to point toward
  24. fan — to cool the air

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