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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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. squash — the sport
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. tube — a container
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. rock — music
  11. game — a match
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. tube — the underground
  14. squash — to crush
  15. game — wild animals
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. rock — a stone
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. rock — to move gently

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