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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 usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. fine — high quality
  3. season — in sport
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. shower — to wash
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. fork — in a road
  8. last — finally
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. chair — a leader
  12. season — of the year
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. shower — rain
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. last — final
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. last — to go on
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. fine — all right
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. squash — the sport
  24. squash — to crush

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