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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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. court — of law
  10. court — for sport
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. court — of a king
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. prune — to trim
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. prune — to trim
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. fork — a garden tool

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