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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: pass · field · fork · bear · temple · prune · bat · pit

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. fork — in a road
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. pass — a permit
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. pit — in a race
  9. field — farmland
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bat — the animal
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. prune — to trim
  15. field — a subject
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. field — for sport
  20. bear — the animal
  21. prune — to trim
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. pit — a hole
  24. fork — to eat with

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