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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. fork — in a road
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. pitch — completely
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. prune — to trim
  8. key — the most important part
  9. stock — shares
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. key — for a lock
  12. stock — goods
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bore — to tire
  15. lie — to recline
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bore — to drill
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bore — gave birth

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