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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. fork — in a road
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. wound — an injury
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. content — the amount
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. pit — in a race
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. deal — to handle
  18. content — happy
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. pit — a hole
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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