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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 120 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: fork · bank · bore · arm · firm · pass · track · suit

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. suit — in cards
  4. firm — decided
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. suit — clothes
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. bank — for money
  9. bore — to drill
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. firm — a company
  12. suit — to fit
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. pass — a permit
  15. bore — to tire
  16. track — a song
  17. bank — of a river
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. firm — steady
  20. track — to keep track
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. track — a path
  23. fork — in a road
  24. bank — for money

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