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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ball · fork · current · fine · stick · bay

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. fine — high quality
  4. current — happening now
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. fine — all right
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a great time
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. fork — in a road
  14. ball — a dance
  15. current — electric
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. current — of water
  18. fork — to eat with

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