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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 124 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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. cap — a hat
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. cap — of ice
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. fork — in a road
  7. club — a group
  8. rash — a series
  9. rash — hasty
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. mark — a trace
  13. cap — a lid
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. row — to paddle
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. charge — a price
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. charge — electricity
  21. charge — in control
  22. club — for dancing
  23. club — for golf
  24. mark — a grade

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