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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 120 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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. firm — steady
  3. pit — a hole
  4. prune — to trim
  5. prune — to trim
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. wake — a trail
  8. content — happy
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. pit — in a race
  13. saw — the tool
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. content — the amount
  16. firm — a company
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. firm — decided
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. saw — the tool
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. prune — the fruit

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