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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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. rock — music
  3. rock — a stone
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. fall — to drop
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. shower — rain
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. fall — the season
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. fall — to drop
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mate — a friend
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. date — the fruit
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. mate — to breed
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. mate — a partner
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. shower — to wash

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