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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. saw — the tool
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. spring — a coil
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — a break
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. spring — of water
  14. saw — the tool
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. ball — a great time
  19. rest — what's left
  20. ball — a dance
  21. rush — hurry
  22. fork — in a road
  23. spring — the season
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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