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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. track — a song
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. court — of a king
  9. fine — all right
  10. fine — high quality
  11. fork — in a road
  12. board — to get on
  13. chest — of your body
  14. can — to be able to
  15. track — to keep track
  16. chest — a box
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. can — a tin
  19. track — a path
  20. chest — of your body
  21. court — of law
  22. court — for sport
  23. board — a committee
  24. can — a tin

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