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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. mug — a face
  4. swing — music
  5. net — for catching
  6. mug — a cup
  7. pitch — completely
  8. fine — all right
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. shower — to wash
  11. net — in sport
  12. swing — in golf
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. pound — a weight
  16. net — after costs
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. fork — in a road
  19. shower — rain
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. fine — high quality
  23. mug — to rob
  24. swing — to play on

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