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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: wake · racket · fork · pit · object · rush · hide · branch

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. fork — in a road
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. pit — a hole
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. wake — a trail
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. object — a thing
  15. rush — hurry
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. object — to protest
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. branch — a division
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. pit — in a race
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. 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