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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. pit — a hole
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. pit — in a race
  5. fall — to drop
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. can — a tin
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. fork — in a road
  10. can — to be able to
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. fall — the season
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. fall — to drop
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. stock — shares
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. kick — in football
  23. stock — goods
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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