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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
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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: mug · ground · rest · fine · spell · fall · bowl · fork

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — what's left
  4. spell — letters
  5. fall — to drop
  6. fine — high quality
  7. mug — a face
  8. spell — a short time
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. spell — magic
  11. mug — a cup
  12. ground — crushed
  13. fork — in a road
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. ground — the earth
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. fine — all right
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. ground — a position
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. fall — to drop
  23. mug — to rob
  24. fall — the season

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