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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: present · leaves · wake · ruler · pass · fork

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. pass — a permit
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. present — the time now
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. present — there
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. wake — a trail
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. fork — in a road
  18. present — a gift

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