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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. wound — an injury
  4. net — for catching
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. pit — a hole
  7. net — after costs
  8. pit — in a race
  9. fork — in a road
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. wound — an injury
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. fine — high quality
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fine — all right
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. fall — to drop
  20. tube — the underground
  21. tube — a container
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. net — in sport
  24. fall — the season

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