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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. object — to protest
  3. last — finally
  4. field — for sport
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. object — an aim
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. last — to go on
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. field — a subject
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. field — farmland
  14. track — a song
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. last — final
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. wax — to grow
  20. track — to keep track
  21. track — a path
  22. object — a thing
  23. squash — to crush
  24. squash — the sport

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