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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. mark — a grade
  4. wound — an injury
  5. foot — a measure
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. season — of the year
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. fine — all right
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. fine — high quality
  14. wound — an injury
  15. mark — a trace
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. fork — in a road
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. mark — to pay attention

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