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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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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. vault — a safe
  6. fork — in a road
  7. face — to confront
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. ground — crushed
  12. face — to point toward
  13. face — part of the head
  14. ground — the earth
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. stem — to come from
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. ground — a position
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. kick — in football
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. kick — with a leg

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