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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. cue — a hint
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. cue — for pool
  13. rule — a law
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. rule — government
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. perch — the fish
  20. cue — a signal
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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