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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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. ground — the earth
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. ground — crushed
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. clip — a video
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. clip — for paper
  12. bank — for money
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. fine — high quality
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bank — for money
  19. clip — to cut
  20. bat — the animal
  21. ground — a position
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. fine — all right

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