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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 124 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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. court — of law
  3. fine — high quality
  4. clip — a video
  5. bulb — for light
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. court — of a king
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. court — for sport
  10. face — part of the head
  11. clip — to cut
  12. face — to point toward
  13. face — to confront
  14. fine — all right
  15. clip — for paper
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. last — to go on
  18. last — finally
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bulb — for light
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. last — final

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