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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: rock · ground · mouse · foot · current · pit · arm · fork

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. current — of water
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. ground — the earth
  8. current — happening now
  9. fork — in a road
  10. foot — a measure
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. rock — a stone
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. ground — a position
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. current — electric
  17. pit — a hole
  18. pit — in a race
  19. rock — music
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. arm — 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