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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.

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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: board · firm · can · fork · squash · field · kid · wave

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. can — a tin
  3. firm — steady
  4. can — to be able to
  5. field — farmland
  6. firm — decided
  7. can — a tin
  8. kid — to tease
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. field — for sport
  12. squash — to crush
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. board — to get on
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. kid — child
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. squash — the sport
  22. board — a committee
  23. field — a subject
  24. firm — a company

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