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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. net — for catching
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. swing — to play on
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. swing — in golf
  9. net — after costs
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. snap — to click
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. swing — music
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. bear — the animal
  18. ball — a dance
  19. bear — the animal
  20. rash — a series
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. ball — a great time
  23. rash — hasty
  24. net — in sport

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