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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. fork — in a road
  3. chip — to eat
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. row — to paddle
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. suit — clothes
  10. suit — to fit
  11. suit — in cards
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. saw — the tool
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. saw — the tool
  20. chip — for betting
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. chair — a leader
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. row — a line

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