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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 usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. fine — all right
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. vault — a safe
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. board — a committee
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. scale — size or range
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. fine — high quality
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. deal — to handle
  20. scale — in music
  21. stand — to bear
  22. board — to get on
  23. dip — to sink
  24. fork — in a road

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