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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 120 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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. cue — for pool
  6. wound — an injury
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. field — for sport
  9. firm — steady
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. wound — an injury
  13. prune — to trim
  14. cue — a signal
  15. cue — a hint
  16. firm — decided
  17. field — farmland
  18. prune — to trim
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. firm — a company
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. field — a subject
  24. bowl — a football final

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