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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. fork — in a road
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. rest — what's left
  5. mug — a cup
  6. kid — to tease
  7. court — of a king
  8. shower — rain
  9. kid — child
  10. court — for sport
  11. pop — music
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — a break
  14. pop — soda
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. firm — a company
  17. pop — to visit
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. mug — a face
  20. firm — steady
  21. mug — to rob
  22. shower — to wash
  23. firm — decided
  24. court — of law

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