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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.

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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. pit — in a race
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. court — for sport
  6. prune — to trim
  7. pit — a hole
  8. fork — in a road
  9. prune — to trim
  10. race — a contest
  11. suit — to fit
  12. mate — a friend
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — a break
  15. court — of a king
  16. race — humankind
  17. court — of law
  18. rest — what's left
  19. race — the arms race
  20. mate — to breed
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. mate — a partner
  23. suit — in cards
  24. suit — clothes

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