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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 usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  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 — to eat with
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. season — in sport
  4. scale — in music
  5. can — to be able to
  6. mug — a face
  7. fork — in a road
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a dance
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — the animal
  13. can — a tin
  14. mug — to rob
  15. scale — size or range
  16. game — a match
  17. game — wild animals
  18. can — a tin
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. mug — a cup
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. ball — a great time
  23. season — of the year
  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