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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 116 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: bay · game · scale · bowl · fork · mug · pit · firm

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. firm — steady
  3. mug — to rob
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. firm — a company
  7. mug — a cup
  8. firm — decided
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. game — wild animals
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. pit — in a race
  13. game — a match
  14. scale — in music
  15. mug — a face
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. pit — a hole
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. scale — size or range
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. fork — in a road

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