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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: stem · fork · pound · foot · scale · pit · board · arm

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. pound — a weight
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. board — to get on
  5. scale — in music
  6. foot — a measure
  7. pit — in a race
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. stem — to come from
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. board — a committee
  18. pit — a hole
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. scale — size or range
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. fork — in a road
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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