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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. pit — in a race
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. mate — a partner
  7. mate — to breed
  8. suit — to fit
  9. rock — a stone
  10. prune — to trim
  11. suit — in cards
  12. prune — to trim
  13. wound — an injury
  14. fork — in a road
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. ball — a great time
  17. rock — music
  18. ball — a dance
  19. pit — a hole
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. mate — a friend
  22. suit — clothes
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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