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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. roll — a list
  4. rush — hurry
  5. fork — in a road
  6. mate — a partner
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. fine — high quality
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. roll — a cake
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. fine — all right
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. mate — to breed
  24. mate — a friend

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