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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. fork — in a road
  3. net — for catching
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. pit — in a race
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. sharp — clever
  9. stand — to bear
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. band — a music group
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. kick — in football
  16. band — a ring
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. net — in sport
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. net — after costs
  24. pit — a hole

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