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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. deal — to handle
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. stock — goods
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. current — electric
  10. firm — decided
  11. current — happening now
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. firm — steady
  14. current — of water
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pit — a hole
  17. stock — shares
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. firm — a company
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. fork — in a road

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