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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: fork · rock · cap · net · spell · fine

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. fork — in a road
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. rock — a stone
  5. net — after costs
  6. cap — a lid
  7. spell — magic
  8. cap — a hat
  9. fine — high quality
  10. net — for catching
  11. spell — a short time
  12. fine — all right
  13. rock — music
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. spell — letters
  16. cap — of ice
  17. net — in sport
  18. rock — to move gently

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