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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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. pound — a weight
  4. track — to keep track
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. net — after costs
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. squash — to crush
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. track — a path
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. net — for catching
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. track — a song
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. net — in sport
  24. squash — the sport

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