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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. pit — in a race
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. fork — in a road
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. perch — the fish
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. squash — to crush
  22. squash — the sport
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. cabinet — ministers

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