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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. spring — a coil
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. stock — shares
  6. pit — in a race
  7. spring — of water
  8. stock — goods
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. drill — a practice
  11. drill — army training
  12. fork — in a road
  13. object — a thing
  14. object — an aim
  15. bank — for money
  16. drill — the tool
  17. spring — the season
  18. bank — for money
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. lie — to recline
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. bank — of a river
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. object — to protest

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