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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. scale — in music
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. suit — in cards
  6. club — for dancing
  7. drill — army training
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. club — a group
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. drill — a practice
  12. scale — size or range
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. board — a committee
  15. drill — the tool
  16. bat — the animal
  17. board — to get on
  18. club — for golf
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. suit — to fit
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. suit — clothes

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