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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: mouse · march · fork · racket · firm · club

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. firm — decided
  3. fork — in a road
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. club — for dancing
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. firm — steady
  10. march — the month
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. march — music
  15. club — a group
  16. firm — a company
  17. club — for golf
  18. march — the month

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