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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. wound — an injury
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ball — a dance
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. staff — a stick
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. mug — to rob
  9. wound — an injury
  10. suit — to fit
  11. fork — in a road
  12. root — the cause
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — clothes
  15. root — of a word
  16. staff — employees
  17. mug — a face
  18. mug — a cup
  19. root — of a plant
  20. pound — a weight
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. staff — employees
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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