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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. shower — rain
  4. object — a thing
  5. spell — magic
  6. mark — a trace
  7. capital — a city
  8. object — an aim
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. bulb — for light
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. spell — a short time
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. object — to protest
  16. spell — letters
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. shower — to wash
  22. mark — a grade
  23. capital — money
  24. fork — to eat with

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