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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. can — a tin
  3. craft — boats
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. can — a tin
  9. face — part of the head
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. can — to be able to
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. face — to confront
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. rush — hurry
  18. face — to point toward
  19. craft — a skill
  20. pit — in a race
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. fork — in a road

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