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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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Word bank
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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: pit · deal · spring · racket · fork · fine · cabinet · squash

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. squash — to crush
  3. spring — a coil
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. squash — the sport
  9. spring — the season
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. spring — of water
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. pit — in a race
  16. fine — all right
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. fork — in a road
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. deal — to handle
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. fine — high quality
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. fork — a garden tool

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