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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. spring — of water
  3. pound — a weight
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. shower — rain
  6. staff — a stick
  7. club — a group
  8. craft — a skill
  9. rock — a stone
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. rock — music
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. club — for golf
  16. craft — boats
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. shower — to wash
  19. spring — the season
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. club — for dancing
  22. spring — a coil
  23. staff — employees
  24. staff — employees

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