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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: mark · mate · fork · stem · pit · stand · jam · pop

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. stem — to come from
  5. mate — a partner
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. mark — a trace
  8. pop — to visit
  9. pit — in a race
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. mark — a grade
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. stand — to bear
  16. mate — to breed
  17. mate — a friend
  18. pop — music
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. pit — a hole
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. fork — in a road
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. pop — soda

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