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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. wound — an injury
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. pit — a hole
  6. cap — a hat
  7. rush — hurry
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. season — of the year
  12. pit — in a race
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. fork — in a road
  18. cap — of ice
  19. board — a committee
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. cap — a lid
  23. board — to get on
  24. wound — an injury

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