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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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. cue — a hint
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. can — to be able to
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. can — a tin
  9. cue — a signal
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — the fish
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. wind — moving air
  15. cue — for pool
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. wind — moving air
  18. prune — to trim
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. can — a tin

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