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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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. suit — in cards
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. game — a match
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. fine — high quality
  10. drill — a practice
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. pop — soda
  13. suit — clothes
  14. fork — in a road
  15. drill — army training
  16. drill — the tool
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. suit — to fit
  19. fine — all right
  20. wake — a trail
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. pop — to visit
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. pop — music

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