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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 120 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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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. board — a flat piece
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. prune — to trim
  6. dip — to sink
  7. prune — to trim
  8. board — to get on
  9. cue — a hint
  10. rest — what's left
  11. cue — a signal
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. board — a committee
  14. chest — a box
  15. mug — a cup
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. chest — of your body
  20. mug — a face
  21. rest — a break
  22. cue — for pool
  23. mug — to rob
  24. chest — of your body

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