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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. firm — steady
  4. rest — what's left
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. rest — a break
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mate — to breed
  11. mate — a partner
  12. firm — a company
  13. mark — a trace
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. rest — what's left
  16. court — of law
  17. mate — a friend
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. fork — in a road
  23. court — of a king
  24. court — for sport

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