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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. pit — in a race
  3. court — of law
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. court — of a king
  8. land — ground
  9. court — for sport
  10. land — a country
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. pit — a hole
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. spell — letters
  16. spell — a short time
  17. spell — magic
  18. land — to come down
  19. deal — to handle
  20. craft — a skill
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. craft — boats
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. deal — an agreement

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