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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: mug · bank · ground · sharp · fork · pit · spring · pass

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. mug — a face
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. fork — in a road
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. sharp — clever
  10. spring — of water
  11. mug — to rob
  12. spring — a coil
  13. ground — the earth
  14. ground — a position
  15. pit — a hole
  16. bank — for money
  17. spring — the season
  18. mug — a cup
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. bank — for money
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. pit — in a race
  23. ground — crushed
  24. bank — of a river

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