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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 116 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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. rest — what's left
  3. chip — for betting
  4. bear — the animal
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. chip — to eat
  8. rest — a break
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. rest — what's left
  12. fall — to drop
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. bear — the animal
  17. squash — the sport
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. deal — to handle
  21. fall — to drop
  22. fall — the season
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. squash — to crush

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