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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. pit — in a race
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. staff — employees
  6. ground — a position
  7. cue — a signal
  8. ground — the earth
  9. staff — employees
  10. pit — a hole
  11. fork — in a road
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. mine — for digging
  14. cue — a hint
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. kick — in football
  19. staff — a stick
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. cue — for pool
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. ground — crushed
  24. bay — a horse colour

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