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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. file — a document
  3. deal — to handle
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. file — a tool
  6. lean — thin
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. degree — from a university
  9. bear — the animal
  10. band — a music group
  11. lean — to bend
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. degree — temperature
  14. suit — in cards
  15. fork — in a road
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. suit — clothes
  18. file — a line of people
  19. degree — an amount
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. band — a ring
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. suit — to fit

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