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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: root · fork · pit · snap · rash · rest · mark · pop

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. root — of a word
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. pop — to visit
  6. root — of a plant
  7. pit — a hole
  8. rash — a series
  9. root — the cause
  10. pop — music
  11. fork — in a road
  12. rest — a break
  13. rash — hasty
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. pit — in a race
  16. rest — what's left
  17. snap — to click
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. mark — a grade
  21. rest — what's left
  22. pop — soda
  23. mark — a trace
  24. rash — on the skin

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