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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 116 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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. fork — in a road
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. bear — the animal
  8. tear — to rip
  9. bear — the animal
  10. club — for golf
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. mate — a friend
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. club — for dancing
  15. fine — all right
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. hand — help
  18. mate — a partner
  19. fine — high quality
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. tear — from crying
  22. hand — in cards
  23. tear — from crying
  24. mate — to breed

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