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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. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. cold — an illness
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. suit — to fit
  5. prune — to trim
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. cold — not warm
  8. deal — to handle
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. prune — to trim
  12. spell — magic
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. saw — the tool
  15. suit — clothes
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. suit — in cards
  18. spell — letters
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. spell — a short time
  22. saw — the tool
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. nail — on a finger

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