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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 120 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: fork · capital · season · row · can · firm · wake · bay

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. fork — in a road
  4. row — to paddle
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. row — a line
  7. season — in sport
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — to be able to
  11. season — of the year
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. can — a tin
  14. firm — decided
  15. firm — steady
  16. firm — a company
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. capital — money
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. wake — a trail
  22. capital — a city
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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