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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. swing — to play on
  5. bat — the animal
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. bank — of a river
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. ball — a dance
  10. prune — to trim
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. swing — in golf
  14. pitch — completely
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — for money
  17. foot — a measure
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. prune — to trim
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. ball — a great time
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. swing — music
  24. fork — a garden tool

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