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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. pit — in a race
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. pit — a hole
  7. pound — a weight
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. key — the most important part
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. key — in music
  21. key — for a lock
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. fork — in a road
  24. leaves — lets stay

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