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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. can — a tin
  3. craft — boats
  4. can — a tin
  5. craft — a skill
  6. fork — in a road
  7. suit — to fit
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. pitch — completely
  12. can — to be able to
  13. ground — the earth
  14. suit — clothes
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. bat — the animal
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. suit — in cards
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. ground — crushed
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. perch — the fish

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