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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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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. face — to confront
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bound — tied together
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. pit — a hole
  7. pit — in a race
  8. fork — in a road
  9. chair — a leader
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. bound — certain
  12. season — in sport
  13. stand — to bear
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. bank — for money
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. face — part of the head
  18. face — to point toward
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. bound — obliged
  21. season — of the year
  22. bank — for money
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. stand — on your feet

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