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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. perch — the fish
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bark — to shout
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. fork — in a road
  11. can — to be able to
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. land — ground
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. ball — a dance
  17. present — there
  18. land — a country
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. present — a gift
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. ball — a great time
  23. present — the time now
  24. land — to come down

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