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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 124 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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. staff — employees
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. content — the amount
  7. fork — in a road
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. ball — a great time
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. cap — a hat
  12. staff — a stick
  13. cap — a lid
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. ball — a dance
  16. cap — of ice
  17. content — happy
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. staff — employees
  20. row — to paddle
  21. pitch — completely
  22. row — a line
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. pass — a permit

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