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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. rush — hurry
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. suit — to fit
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. fork — in a road
  8. net — for catching
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. mug — a face
  12. bark — to shout
  13. suit — in cards
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. suit — clothes
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. net — in sport
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. net — after costs
  21. mug — to rob
  22. toast — bread
  23. mug — a cup
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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