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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. fork — in a road
  4. board — a committee
  5. stock — shares
  6. bear — the animal
  7. stock — goods
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. key — for a lock
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. season — in sport
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. key — the most important part
  17. board — to get on
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. season — of the year
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. key — in music
  24. bear — the animal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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