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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 were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. object — a thing
  7. object — to protest
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. swing — in golf
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. stock — shares
  12. object — an aim
  13. stock — goods
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. swing — to play on
  16. pound — a weight
  17. rock — music
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. swing — music
  20. sharp — clever
  21. pit — a hole
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. pit — in a race
  24. fork — in a road

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