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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. saw — the tool
  4. track — to keep track
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. staff — employees
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. saw — the tool
  9. snap — to click
  10. degree — from a university
  11. bank — for money
  12. pit — a hole
  13. degree — an amount
  14. fork — in a road
  15. track — a path
  16. staff — employees
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. staff — a stick
  20. track — a song
  21. bank — of a river
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. bank — for money
  24. degree — temperature

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