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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. wake — a trail
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. pit — in a race
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. pit — a hole
  10. foot — a measure
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. board — a committee
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. fork — in a road
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. nail — for a hammer

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