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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. pit — a hole
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. rock — a stone
  11. plane — a tool
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. mine — for digging
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. wind — moving air
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. rock — music
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. wind — moving air
  21. pit — in a race
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. snap — to click

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