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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. drill — the tool
  3. fine — high quality
  4. spring — a coil
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pop — to visit
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. pop — music
  12. hand — in cards
  13. fine — all right
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. hand — help
  16. pop — soda
  17. spring — of water
  18. drill — army training
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. spring — the season
  22. drill — a practice
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. fork — to eat with

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