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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 120 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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. bank — for money
  3. spring — a coil
  4. court — of law
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. march — the month
  10. march — music
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. court — of a king
  13. march — the month
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. snap — to click
  16. spring — the season
  17. spring — of water
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. bank — for money
  21. court — for sport
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. fork — a garden tool

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