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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — a break
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. chair — a leader
  7. fork — in a road
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. stock — goods
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. track — a song
  13. deal — to handle
  14. rest — what's left
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. track — to keep track
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. track — a path
  24. stock — shares

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