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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · mine · mug · content · net · mark · bass · lash

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. fork — in a road
  3. mug — a cup
  4. net — for catching
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mine — for digging
  7. net — after costs
  8. net — in sport
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. bass — low music
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. mug — a face
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. mug — to rob
  20. bass — the fish
  21. mark — a grade
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. content — the amount
  24. content — happy

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