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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 116 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: march · rest · fork · sharp · suit · leaves · lie · pit

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. march — the month
  3. march — music
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. fork — in a road
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. suit — clothes
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. rest — what's left
  13. march — the month
  14. suit — to fit
  15. rest — what's left
  16. sharp — clever
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. suit — in cards
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pit — a hole
  22. rest — a break
  23. pit — in a race
  24. lie — an untruth

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