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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. pit — in a race
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. scale — size or range
  5. fork — in a road
  6. board — a committee
  7. suit — clothes
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. scale — in music
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. prune — to trim
  12. tube — the underground
  13. prune — to trim
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. suit — to fit
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. tube — a container
  19. season — in sport
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. suit — in cards
  23. pit — a hole
  24. season — of the year

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