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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. can — a tin
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. track — a path
  7. stock — shares
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. content — the amount
  11. can — to be able to
  12. foot — a measure
  13. track — a song
  14. ball — a dance
  15. can — a tin
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. stock — goods
  20. ball — a great time
  21. pit — a hole
  22. track — to keep track
  23. pit — in a race
  24. content — happy

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