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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 met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. fork — in a road
  4. mug — a cup
  5. mug — to rob
  6. ground — crushed
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. board — a committee
  10. mine — for digging
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. pitch — completely
  15. ground — a position
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. mug — a face
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. ground — the earth
  22. board — to get on
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pitch — a sports field

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