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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. squash — to crush
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. perch — the fish
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. fork — in a road
  9. drill — a practice
  10. drill — the tool
  11. drill — army training
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. squash — the sport
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. chip — for betting
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. ball — a dance
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. chip — to eat
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. ball — a great time
  24. squash — the vegetable

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