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

Word bank: wave · pound · ruler · cabinet · fork · cap

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. fork — in a road
  3. cap — a lid
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. cap — of ice
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. pound — a weight
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. cap — a hat
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. cabinet — ministers

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