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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 120 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: pass · rock · kick · bank · fork · pit

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. kick — in football
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. pit — in a race
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. bank — for money
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. rock — a stone
  14. fork — in a road
  15. bank — of a river
  16. pit — a hole
  17. bank — for money
  18. rock — music

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