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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. spell — letters
  3. face — to confront
  4. ball — a dance
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. key — the most important part
  7. ball — a great time
  8. season — in sport
  9. tube — a container
  10. spell — a short time
  11. face — part of the head
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. key — for a lock
  14. season — of the year
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. tube — the underground
  18. spell — magic
  19. key — in music
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. pit — in a race
  22. face — to point toward
  23. pit — a hole
  24. fork — a garden tool

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