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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 120 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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. hand — in cards
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. mug — to rob
  9. craft — boats
  10. chest — of your body
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. craft — a skill
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. chest — a box
  17. pit — a hole
  18. chest — of your body
  19. fork — in a road
  20. hand — help
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. mug — a face
  24. mug — a cup

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