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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. rest — a break
  3. rest — what's left
  4. current — electric
  5. fork — in a road
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. staff — employees
  9. staff — employees
  10. lean — thin
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. lean — to bend
  14. rest — what's left
  15. current — of water
  16. tube — the underground
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. staff — a stick
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. current — happening now
  23. perch — the fish
  24. tube — a container

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