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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. pit — in a race
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. object — an aim
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. rest — what's left
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. object — a thing
  10. court — of law
  11. foot — a measure
  12. object — to protest
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. court — for sport
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. fork — in a road
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. mine — for digging
  20. court — of a king
  21. pit — a hole
  22. rest — a break
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. rest — what's left

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