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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. firm — decided
  3. court — of a king
  4. fine — high quality
  5. fork — in a road
  6. court — of law
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. fine — all right
  9. stock — shares
  10. pit — in a race
  11. bank — for money
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. bank — of a river
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. stock — goods
  18. firm — steady
  19. bank — for money
  20. court — for sport
  21. firm — a company
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. trunk — of a car

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