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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. That was a fun ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. game — a match
  3. fork — in a road
  4. season — in sport
  5. game — wild animals
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. season — of the year
  11. stock — goods
  12. race — a contest
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. fine — high quality
  18. fine — all right
  19. race — humankind
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. race — the arms race
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. stock — shares
  24. fine — a penalty

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