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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. suit — to fit
  4. net — after costs
  5. roll — a cake
  6. net — for catching
  7. net — in sport
  8. suit — in cards
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. lie — to recline
  12. fork — in a road
  13. cue — a signal
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. roll — a list
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. cue — a hint
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. cue — for pool
  24. suit — clothes

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