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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. bank — for money
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. mine — for digging
  5. pit — in a race
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. kick — in football
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. bank — for money
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. pit — a hole
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. bank — of a river
  22. fork — in a road
  23. dip — to sink
  24. calf — a young animal

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