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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  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. suit — clothes
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. fine — high quality
  5. snap — to click
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. pit — a hole
  8. suit — in cards
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. fork — in a road
  11. suit — to fit
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. saw — the tool
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. row — to paddle
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. race — a contest
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. row — a line
  20. race — humankind
  21. pit — in a race
  22. race — the arms race
  23. fine — all right
  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