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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 120 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 usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. race — the arms race
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. game — a match
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. race — a contest
  9. pound — a weight
  10. can — a tin
  11. fork — in a road
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. race — humankind
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. ball — a dance
  16. can — to be able to
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. ball — a great time
  21. game — wild animals
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. can — a tin
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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