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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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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: hide · rest · club · object · bear · fork

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. bear — the animal
  4. object — a thing
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bear — the animal
  7. rest — a break
  8. club — for dancing
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. club — for golf
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. club — a group
  13. fork — in a road
  14. rest — what's left
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. object — to protest
  17. object — an aim
  18. hide — to keep secret

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