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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 not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. cue — for pool
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. cue — a hint
  7. track — a song
  8. shower — to wash
  9. face — to confront
  10. pit — a hole
  11. track — to keep track
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. track — a path
  14. mug — to rob
  15. pit — in a race
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. shower — rain
  18. face — to point toward
  19. mug — a face
  20. wound — an injury
  21. face — part of the head
  22. fork — in a road
  23. mug — a cup
  24. cue — a signal

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