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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. prune — to trim
  5. capital — money
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. fork — in a road
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. pop — soda
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. pop — to visit
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. pop — music
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. stand — to bear
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. prune — to trim
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. capital — a city
  22. vault — a safe
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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