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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. fork — in a road
  3. bass — low music
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. wax — to grow
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. mine — for digging
  9. kick — in football
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. stand — to bear
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. bass — the fish
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. bark — to shout
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. fork — a garden tool

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