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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: net · pound · ruler · rock · pit · file · fork · cap

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. cap — a lid
  3. file — a tool
  4. pit — in a race
  5. fork — in a road
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. file — a line of people
  8. file — a document
  9. net — for catching
  10. cap — of ice
  11. rock — a stone
  12. cap — a hat
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. pound — a weight
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. pit — a hole
  19. rock — music
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. net — after costs
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. net — in sport

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