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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. key — in music
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. rest — a break
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. charge — a price
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bass — the fish
  10. rest — what's left
  11. fork — in a road
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. bass — low music
  14. key — for a lock
  15. charge — in control
  16. bear — the animal
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. bear — the animal
  19. key — the most important part
  20. rest — what's left
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. board — to get on
  23. board — a committee
  24. charge — electricity

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