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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 wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. club — for dancing
  7. cell — in biology
  8. kid — child
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. pass — a permit
  14. toast — bread
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. perch — the fish
  18. club — a group
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. kid — to tease
  21. cell — a phone
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. fork — in a road
  24. club — for golf

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