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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. prune — to trim
  4. bore — to tire
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. pit — a hole
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. fork — in a road
  16. scale — in music
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. scale — size or range
  19. bore — to drill
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. prune — to trim
  22. sharp — clever
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. fork — a garden tool

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