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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. pop — soda
  3. capital — money
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. scale — size or range
  6. pop — music
  7. capital — a city
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. pit — a hole
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. scale — in music
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. craft — boats
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. mate — a friend
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. mate — to breed
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. mate — a partner
  21. craft — a skill
  22. pit — in a race
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. pop — to visit

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