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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. march — the month
  4. fork — in a road
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. net — in sport
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. march — music
  14. cap — of ice
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. pit — in a race
  17. cap — a hat
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. cap — a lid
  21. deal — to handle
  22. net — after costs
  23. pit — a hole
  24. march — the month

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