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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: present · fork · pit · firm · cue · bank

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. bank — for money
  3. cue — for pool
  4. present — the time now
  5. bank — for money
  6. firm — decided
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. bank — of a river
  9. pit — in a race
  10. present — a gift
  11. fork — in a road
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. present — there
  14. pit — a hole
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. cue — a hint
  17. firm — a company
  18. cue — a signal

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