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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 120 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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. present — the time now
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. land — a country
  6. deal — to handle
  7. race — the arms race
  8. race — humankind
  9. ball — a great time
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. present — there
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. ball — a dance
  16. land — to come down
  17. race — a contest
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. land — ground
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. present — a gift

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