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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. bank — of a river
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. mark — a trace
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. cue — for pool
  10. fork — in a road
  11. fine — high quality
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. cue — a hint
  15. bank — for money
  16. fine — all right
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. shower — to wash
  20. shower — rain
  21. mark — a grade
  22. bank — for money
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. cue — a signal

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