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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. face — to point toward
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. march — music
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. march — the month
  7. pit — in a race
  8. firm — decided
  9. firm — a company
  10. firm — steady
  11. march — the month
  12. face — part of the head
  13. current — of water
  14. current — happening now
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. pound — a weight
  17. kick — in football
  18. pit — a hole
  19. face — to confront
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. current — electric

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