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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. rest — what's left
  5. fine — high quality
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. pop — soda
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. pop — to visit
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. pop — music
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — a break
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bass — low music
  19. game — wild animals
  20. game — a match
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. bass — the fish
  23. stand — to bear
  24. fine — all right

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