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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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. object — to protest
  7. net — after costs
  8. dip — to sink
  9. net — for catching
  10. deal — to handle
  11. hand — help
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. object — a thing
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. hand — in cards
  18. net — in sport
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. object — an aim
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. stand — to bear

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