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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. current — electric
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. pound — a weight
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. pit — in a race
  8. fork — in a road
  9. current — happening now
  10. sharp — clever
  11. lean — thin
  12. lean — to bend
  13. pit — a hole
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. current — of water
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. kick — in football
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. pound — to hit hard

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