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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  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. pit — a hole
  2. race — humankind
  3. object — a thing
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. mate — to breed
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. mate — a partner
  8. race — the arms race
  9. object — an aim
  10. bank — for money
  11. pit — in a race
  12. bank — for money
  13. race — a contest
  14. present — there
  15. present — the time now
  16. bank — of a river
  17. present — a gift
  18. field — for sport
  19. field — a subject
  20. mate — a friend
  21. field — farmland
  22. object — to protest
  23. fork — in a road
  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