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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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. mark — a trace
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. mark — a grade
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. ground — the earth
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. kick — in football
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. chair — a leader
  17. scale — in music
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. scale — size or range
  21. ground — a position
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. ground — crushed
  24. chair — to sit on

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