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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 116 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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. fine — high quality
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. pit — in a race
  5. fork — in a road
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. board — to get on
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. craft — a skill
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. fine — all right
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. craft — boats
  19. pound — a weight
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. pit — a hole
  23. sharp — clever
  24. board — a committee

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