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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. charge — a price
  3. tube — the underground
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. object — to protest
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. lean — thin
  8. fork — in a road
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. tube — a container
  11. lean — to bend
  12. charge — in control
  13. mark — a trace
  14. object — a thing
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. wax — to grow
  20. charge — electricity
  21. perch — the fish
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. mark — a grade
  24. object — an aim

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