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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  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. fork — in a road
  2. clip — to cut
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. clip — for paper
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. stock — shares
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. swing — music
  11. clip — a video
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. squash — to crush
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. swing — in golf
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. squash — the sport
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. snap — to click
  20. stock — goods
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. swing — to play 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