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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. row — to paddle
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. row — a line
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. chip — to eat
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. chip — for betting
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. foot — a measure
  17. pound — a weight
  18. fine — high quality
  19. fine — all right
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. fork — in a road

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