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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 · fork · rest · bear · season · game · firm · chair

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. game — wild animals
  5. chair — a leader
  6. rest — what's left
  7. season — in sport
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. rest — what's left
  10. firm — a company
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. fine — high quality
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. season — of the year
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. fine — all right
  19. bear — the animal
  20. rest — a break
  21. firm — steady
  22. bear — the animal
  23. game — a match
  24. firm — decided

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