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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. lean — thin
  4. scale — in music
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. wound — an injury
  7. can — a tin
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. rest — what's left
  11. staff — a stick
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. scale — size or range
  14. can — a tin
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. wound — an injury
  18. staff — employees
  19. rest — what's left
  20. staff — employees
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. fork — in a road
  23. lean — to bend
  24. can — to be able to

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