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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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468
Word bank
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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. can — to be able to
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. squash — the sport
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. chip — to eat
  10. can — a tin
  11. fork — in a road
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. can — a tin
  15. mate — a friend
  16. mate — a partner
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. squash — to crush
  19. rest — what's left
  20. pit — in a race
  21. rest — what's left
  22. mate — to breed
  23. chip — for betting
  24. rest — a break

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