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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. fork — in a road
  4. bear — the animal
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. current — of water
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bear — the animal
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. wax — to grow
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. ball — a dance
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. land — ground
  20. land — a country
  21. ball — a great time
  22. land — to come down
  23. current — electric
  24. current — happening now

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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