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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 116 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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. fork — in a road
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. can — a tin
  8. pitch — completely
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. tube — the underground
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. can — a tin
  17. wound — an injury
  18. can — to be able to
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. tube — a container
  24. nail — for a hammer

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