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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. bank — for money
  4. fall — to drop
  5. scale — size or range
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — of a river
  10. fall — the season
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. fall — to drop
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. sharp — clever
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. scale — in music
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. nail — for a hammer

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