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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: foot · pop · sharp · mug · spring · fork · key · leaves

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. key — for a lock
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. sharp — clever
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. key — in music
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. key — the most important part
  12. foot — a measure
  13. spring — a coil
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. mug — a cup
  16. mug — a face
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. pop — to visit
  19. pop — soda
  20. spring — the season
  21. pop — music
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. mug — to rob
  24. spring — of water

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