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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. fork — in a road
  3. drill — the tool
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. craft — a skill
  6. charge — in control
  7. court — for sport
  8. drill — a practice
  9. track — a path
  10. drill — army training
  11. craft — boats
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. track — a song
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. foot — a measure
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. charge — a price
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. court — of law
  21. track — to keep track
  22. court — of a king
  23. charge — electricity
  24. jam — in traffic

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