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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. mine — for digging
  3. pit — a hole
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. bound — obliged
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. pit — in a race
  9. bound — certain
  10. craft — boats
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. craft — a skill
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. bass — low music
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bound — tied together
  22. bass — the fish
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. lash — to lash out

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