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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. pit — in a race
  4. date — the fruit
  5. bore — to tire
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. bore — to drill
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. pit — a hole

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