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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: wound · swing · key · fork · pit · ruler · cap · rest

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  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. cap — a lid
  2. swing — to play on
  3. key — in music
  4. cap — of ice
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. rest — a break
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. pit — a hole
  12. swing — music
  13. key — for a lock
  14. wound — an injury
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. fork — in a road
  17. key — the most important part
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — what's left
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. cap — a hat
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. swing — in golf
  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