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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. suit — in cards
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. season — of the year
  7. tear — from crying
  8. net — for catching
  9. season — in sport
  10. game — a match
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. tear — to rip
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. net — in sport
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — clothes
  18. perch — the fish
  19. net — after costs
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. game — wild animals
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. tear — from crying

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