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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 120 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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ball — a great time
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. fork — in a road
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. court — of law
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. bear — the animal
  14. court — for sport
  15. ball — a dance
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. court — of a king
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. dip — to sink
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. bear — the animal
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — a part of something

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