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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 usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. rock — music
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. court — of a king
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. lie — to recline
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. net — in sport
  13. rock — a stone
  14. pit — in a race
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. net — for catching
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. court — of law
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. fork — in a road
  22. net — after costs
  23. pit — a hole
  24. court — for sport

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