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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: fine · fan · fork · straw · track · rest · bowl · key

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. fork — in a road
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. rest — a break
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. key — the most important part
  7. track — a path
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. key — for a lock
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. key — in music
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. fine — all right
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. track — to keep track
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. rest — what's left
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. track — a song

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