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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: roll · bank · fork · pit · race · pitch

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. race — a contest
  6. roll — a list
  7. pitch — completely
  8. bank — for money
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. pit — a hole
  11. roll — a cake
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — of a river
  14. fork — in a road
  15. pit — in a race
  16. race — humankind
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. pit — a fruit stone

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