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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: suit · spring · jam · row · bore · rush · pit · fork

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. spring — of water
  3. row — a line
  4. pit — in a race
  5. row — to paddle
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. suit — in cards
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. bore — to drill
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. pit — a hole
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. spring — the season
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. rush — hurry
  16. suit — clothes
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. suit — to fit
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. spring — a coil
  21. bore — to tire
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. fork — in a road

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