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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. hand — help
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. perch — the fish
  6. firm — steady
  7. charge — a price
  8. fork — in a road
  9. can — a tin
  10. row — a line
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. can — to be able to
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. charge — in control
  15. can — a tin
  16. hand — in cards
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — to recline
  20. firm — a company
  21. firm — decided
  22. charge — electricity
  23. row — to paddle
  24. fork — to eat with

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