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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. bear — the animal
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. fork — in a road
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. lean — to bend
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. stem — to come from
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. deal — to handle
  16. spell — letters
  17. spell — a short time
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. bear — the animal
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. lean — thin
  23. spell — magic
  24. ruler — for measuring

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