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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. chair — a leader
  4. stand — to bear
  5. mark — a trace
  6. can — to be able to
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. can — a tin
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. spell — magic
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. mark — a grade
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. fork — in a road
  16. hand — in cards
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. spell — a short time
  20. can — a tin
  21. perch — the fish
  22. spell — letters
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. hand — help

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