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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. present — the time now
  3. bound — certain
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. fine — all right
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. fall — to drop
  8. perch — the fish
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. present — a gift
  11. craft — a skill
  12. fall — the season
  13. fine — high quality
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. craft — boats
  16. present — there
  17. lie — to recline
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. fall — to drop
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bound — tied together
  24. fork — a garden tool

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