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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 120 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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. bass — the fish
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. snap — to click
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. season — in sport
  9. firm — decided
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. lie — to recline
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. firm — a company
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. bass — low music
  22. firm — steady
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. season — of the year

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