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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. track — a path
  4. game — wild animals
  5. track — to keep track
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. clip — for paper
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. wake — a trail
  16. game — a match
  17. clip — a video
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. track — a song
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. clip — to cut
  24. mouse — the animal

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