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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. fork — in a road
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. staff — employees
  13. staff — a stick
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. staff — employees
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. capital — money
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. wax — to grow
  21. dip — to sink
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. capital — a city
  24. safe — out of danger

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