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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. stock — goods
  7. club — for dancing
  8. press — to push
  9. fine — high quality
  10. club — a group
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. club — for golf
  16. press — a publisher
  17. charge — in control
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. stock — shares
  20. charge — electricity
  21. fine — all right
  22. charge — a price
  23. fork — in a road
  24. press — newspapers

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