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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. firm — steady
  7. wake — a trail
  8. foot — a measure
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. firm — decided
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. fork — in a road
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. firm — a company
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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