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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 · sharp · bay · race · pit · foot · ruler · prune

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. race — the arms race
  6. pit — in a race
  7. race — humankind
  8. race — a contest
  9. prune — to trim
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. prune — to trim
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. pit — a hole
  17. fork — in a road
  18. sharp — clever
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. foot — a measure
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. foot — part of the body

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