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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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. pit — a hole
  5. perch — the fish
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. pitch — completely
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. pit — in a race
  13. craft — boats
  14. kid — child
  15. mine — for digging
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. craft — a skill
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. kid — to tease

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