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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. pit — a hole
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. pit — in a race
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. charge — electricity
  8. charge — in control
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. charge — a price
  12. prune — to trim
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. field — for sport
  19. prune — to trim
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. field — a subject
  22. deal — to handle
  23. field — farmland
  24. hide — to keep secret

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