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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. fork — in a road
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. swing — in golf
  9. swing — music
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. swing — to play on
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. craft — boats
  19. craft — a skill
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. vault — a safe
  24. fan — a supporter

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