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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 · lean · foot · pit · toast · ruler · race · date

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. lean — thin
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. foot — a measure
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. toast — bread
  13. race — the arms race
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. pit — in a race
  16. race — a contest
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. race — humankind
  19. date — the fruit
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. lean — to bend
  23. pit — a hole
  24. fork — in a road

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