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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. suit — to fit
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. fork — in a road
  5. prune — to trim
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. staff — employees
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. track — to keep track
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cap — a hat
  13. prune — to trim
  14. track — a path
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. track — a song
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. staff — employees
  20. date — the fruit
  21. staff — a stick
  22. suit — clothes
  23. cap — a lid
  24. suit — in cards

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