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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 120 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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  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. object — an aim
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. ball — a great time
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. object — to protest
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. object — a thing
  11. bear — the animal
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. foot — a measure
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. fork — in a road
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. sharp — clever
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. ball — a dance
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. branch — a division
  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