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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: fork · pitch · staff · pound · race · mark

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. pound — a weight
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. race — the arms race
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. staff — employees
  9. staff — a stick
  10. race — a contest
  11. pitch — completely
  12. mark — a grade
  13. staff — employees
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. race — humankind
  18. mark — a trace

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