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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 got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. game — a match
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fork — in a road
  8. deal — to handle
  9. fine — high quality
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. fine — all right
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. land — to come down
  16. game — wild animals
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. land — ground
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. land — a country
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. wave — of the sea

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