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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. rock — music
  4. last — final
  5. pass — a permit
  6. cell — in biology
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. last — finally
  9. chip — to eat
  10. mug — a cup
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. kick — in football
  13. cell — a phone
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. last — to go on
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. fork — in a road
  21. chip — for betting
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. rock — a stone
  24. mug — to rob

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