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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. drill — army training
  3. season — of the year
  4. pit — in a race
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. face — part of the head
  9. bass — low music
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. pit — a hole
  13. bulb — for light
  14. face — to confront
  15. drill — a practice
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. season — in sport
  18. bulb — for light
  19. drill — the tool
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bass — the fish
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. face — to point toward
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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