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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: fork · pit · foot · straw · season · board · chest · present

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. pit — in a race
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. fork — in a road
  6. season — in sport
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. board — a committee
  9. pit — a hole
  10. present — there
  11. chest — of your body
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. chest — of your body
  15. chest — a box
  16. board — to get on
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. present — the time now
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. season — of the year
  22. foot — a measure
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. present — a gift

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