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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. mate — a friend
  4. firm — a company
  5. track — to keep track
  6. fork — in a road
  7. squash — the sport
  8. track — a song
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. firm — steady
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. squash — to crush
  13. mate — a partner
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. chair — a leader
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. fine — all right
  19. firm — decided
  20. dip — to sink
  21. fine — high quality
  22. track — a path
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. squash — the vegetable

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