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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. dip — to sink
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. club — for golf
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. stand — to bear
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. club — a group
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fork — in a road
  24. bark — to shout

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