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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. fork — in a road
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. staff — employees
  5. dip — to sink
  6. roll — a cake
  7. staff — a stick
  8. lean — thin
  9. lean — to bend
  10. roll — a list
  11. firm — a company
  12. game — wild animals
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. firm — steady
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. firm — decided
  20. staff — employees
  21. game — a match
  22. kick — in football
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. dip — a sauce

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