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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 usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  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 — to eat with
  2. perch — the fish
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. court — for sport
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. object — an aim
  9. chip — for betting
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. object — to protest
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. cue — a signal
  16. cue — for pool
  17. fork — in a road
  18. object — a thing
  19. court — of a king
  20. cue — a hint
  21. court — of law
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. chip — to eat
  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