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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: fork · fine · mark · pass · row · rock · trunk · staff

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. row — to paddle
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. fine — high quality
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. staff — employees
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. pass — a permit
  12. mark — a trace
  13. fine — all right
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. fork — in a road
  16. staff — employees
  17. rock — a stone
  18. mark — a grade
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. rock — music
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. row — a line
  23. staff — a stick
  24. fork — to eat with

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