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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. present — there
  3. fork — in a road
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. drill — the tool
  8. chip — for betting
  9. pop — to visit
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. drill — army training
  12. pop — music
  13. rest — a break
  14. rest — what's left
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. chip — to eat
  17. present — the time now
  18. pop — soda
  19. pit — a hole
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. pit — in a race
  22. present — a gift
  23. rest — what's left
  24. drill — a practice

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