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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 116 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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  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. fine — high quality
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. kid — to tease
  5. kid — child
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. track — a path
  12. track — a song
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. fine — all right
  16. mate — a partner
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fork — in a road
  20. track — to keep track
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. mate — to breed
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. mate — a friend

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