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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. pit — a hole
  3. tube — the underground
  4. sharp — clever
  5. pit — in a race
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. tube — a container
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. degree — an amount
  19. degree — from a university
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. degree — temperature
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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