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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. fork — in a road
  4. bound — certain
  5. board — to get on
  6. suit — in cards
  7. track — to keep track
  8. suit — clothes
  9. board — a committee
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. suit — to fit
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. track — a song
  14. bound — obliged
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. mate — a partner
  18. bound — tied together
  19. track — a path
  20. mate — a friend
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. jam — in traffic

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