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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. fork — in a road
  4. track — a song
  5. object — a thing
  6. track — to keep track
  7. court — of law
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. track — a path
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. object — an aim
  12. chair — a leader
  13. ball — a dance
  14. ball — a great time
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. object — to protest
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. court — of a king
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. court — for sport
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. chair — a professorship

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