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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. net — after costs
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. fine — all right
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. mine — for digging
  12. stock — shares
  13. stock — goods
  14. fine — high quality
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. net — for catching
  18. net — in sport
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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