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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: fall · temple · can · swing · sharp · arm · fork · spring

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. can — to be able to
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. spring — the season
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. spring — of water
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. fall — to drop
  11. can — a tin
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. swing — music
  14. can — a tin
  15. sharp — clever
  16. swing — in golf
  17. swing — to play on
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. spring — a coil
  20. fall — to drop
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. fall — the season
  24. temple — side of the head

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