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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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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: rest · fork · file · cell · pit · safe · bat · ruler

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. pit — a hole
  3. cell — in biology
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. cell — a phone
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. rest — what's left
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. rest — what's left
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. fork — in a road
  14. rest — a break
  15. file — a line of people
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. file — a document
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. file — a tool
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. pit — in a race

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