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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pit — a hole
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. bark — to shout
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. ground — crushed
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. suit — in cards
  13. prune — to trim
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. fork — in a road
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. suit — to fit
  20. ground — the earth
  21. deal — to handle
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. ground — a position
  24. mouse — for a computer

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