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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. present — the time now
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. ground — a position
  7. fork — in a road
  8. present — a gift
  9. mark — a grade
  10. ground — the earth
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. pit — in a race
  13. net — after costs
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. rock — music
  16. lie — to recline
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. mark — a trace
  19. present — there
  20. rock — a stone
  21. net — in sport
  22. ground — crushed
  23. net — for catching
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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