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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. rash — a series
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. fork — in a road
  9. shower — rain
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. saw — the tool
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. shower — to wash
  15. rash — hasty
  16. rush — hurry
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. firm — decided
  19. saw — the tool
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. firm — a company
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. firm — steady

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