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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 usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. fork — in a road
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wax — to grow
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. staff — employees
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. saw — the tool
  14. scale — in music
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. staff — a stick
  17. can — to be able to
  18. can — a tin
  19. wound — an injury
  20. scale — size or range
  21. saw — the tool
  22. can — a tin
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. staff — employees

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