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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 116 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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. board — a committee
  3. fork — in a road
  4. bear — the animal
  5. can — a tin
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. track — a song
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. kid — child
  11. rock — music
  12. track — a path
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. board — to get on
  15. track — to keep track
  16. bear — the animal
  17. saw — the tool
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — to be able to
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. kid — to tease
  22. saw — the tool
  23. rock — a stone
  24. fork — a garden tool

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