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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. bank — for money
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. face — to point toward
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. bound — obliged
  10. kick — in football
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. last — finally
  13. bank — of a river
  14. pit — a hole
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bank — for money
  18. face — to confront
  19. fork — in a road
  20. face — part of the head
  21. last — to go on
  22. last — final
  23. bound — certain
  24. bound — tied together

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