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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. spell — a short time
  3. board — a committee
  4. fork — in a road
  5. spell — magic
  6. fine — all right
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. row — to paddle
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. spell — letters
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. pitch — completely
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — the tool
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. fine — high quality
  23. board — to get on
  24. fork — a garden tool

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