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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. dip — to sink
  3. ground — crushed
  4. content — the amount
  5. content — happy
  6. ground — a position
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. club — a group
  12. ground — the earth
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. pound — a weight
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. pit — in a race
  18. club — for golf
  19. pit — a hole
  20. club — for dancing
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. stem — to come from
  24. stem — a stem cell

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