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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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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: stick · mark · fork · row · fine · bay · swing · bat

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. mark — a trace
  4. row — a line
  5. row — to paddle
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. fork — in a road
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. mark — a grade
  13. swing — in golf
  14. fine — all right
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. bat — the animal
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. fine — high quality
  21. swing — music
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. fork — to eat with

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