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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. fork — in a road
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. ground — crushed
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. suit — to fit
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. suit — in cards
  13. plane — a tool
  14. ground — the earth
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pit — a hole
  17. rash — hasty
  18. rash — a series
  19. wound — an injury
  20. bulb — for light
  21. wound — an injury
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. bulb — for light
  24. ground — a position

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