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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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. perch — the fish
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. kick — in football
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. race — the arms race
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. mug — a cup
  10. pit — in a race
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. wake — a trail
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. mug — to rob
  16. race — a contest
  17. race — humankind
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. mug — a face
  23. pit — a hole
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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