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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 116 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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. shower — rain
  3. mine — for digging
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. file — a tool
  8. can — a tin
  9. file — a document
  10. shower — to wash
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. mark — a grade
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. can — to be able to
  15. present — there
  16. can — a tin
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. present — a gift
  20. mark — a trace
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. file — a line of people
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. present — the time now

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