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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 124 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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. charge — in control
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. perch — the fish
  7. cue — a signal
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. charge — a price
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. band — a ring
  17. band — a music group
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. cue — for pool
  20. charge — electricity
  21. fork — in a road
  22. cue — a hint
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. perch — for a bird

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