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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rock · nail · chip · kid · rest · pit · roll · fork

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. rest — what's left
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. rock — a stone
  7. rock — music
  8. rest — a break
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. pit — in a race
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. pit — a hole
  14. kid — to tease
  15. kid — child
  16. rest — what's left
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. chip — to eat
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. roll — a list
  23. chip — for betting
  24. roll — a cake

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