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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: rest · chest · jam · mug · fork · pit · wake · object

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. object — an aim
  4. chest — of your body
  5. rest — a break
  6. pit — a hole
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. rest — what's left
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. chest — of your body
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. object — a thing
  13. mug — to rob
  14. pit — in a race
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. object — to protest
  17. wake — a trail
  18. mug — a cup
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. rest — what's left
  22. mug — a face
  23. chest — a box
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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