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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: bear · bowl · bat · fork · sharp · leaves · rule · mate

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bear — the animal
  7. mate — a partner
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. sharp — clever
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. mate — a friend
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. mate — to breed
  17. rule — a law
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. rule — government
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. bat — the animal
  24. bowl — a dish

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