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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: rush · vault · present · content · rest · fork · pit · object

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. fork — in a road
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. object — to protest
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. rest — a break
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. present — there
  11. vault — a safe
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. rush — hurry
  15. object — an aim
  16. content — happy
  17. object — a thing
  18. pit — a hole
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. pit — in a race
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rest — what's left
  23. content — the amount
  24. present — a gift

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