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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. object — to protest
  6. pit — in a race
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. suit — to fit
  10. chip — to eat
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. suit — in cards
  13. object — an aim
  14. fork — in a road
  15. pit — a hole
  16. chip — for betting
  17. suit — clothes
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. object — a thing
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. wax — to grow
  23. shower — rain
  24. shower — to wash

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