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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 wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. fork — in a road
  6. ball — a dance
  7. game — a match
  8. saw — the tool
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. ball — a great time
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. dip — to sink
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. pass — a permit
  20. game — wild animals
  21. perch — the fish
  22. saw — the tool
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. jam — a tight spot

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