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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. fork — in a road
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. content — the amount
  9. row — to paddle
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. mug — to rob
  12. rash — hasty
  13. mug — a cup
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. rash — a series
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. content — happy
  22. mug — a face
  23. deal — to handle
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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