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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. track — a song
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. deal — to handle
  8. track — to keep track
  9. suit — to fit
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. pop — to visit
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. suit — clothes
  14. pop — soda
  15. suit — in cards
  16. pop — music
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. track — a path
  23. fork — in a road
  24. pitcher — a jug

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