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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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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: rush · game · bank · bear · nail · cue · fork · pit

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. cue — for pool
  4. bear — the animal
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. game — a match
  7. bank — for money
  8. rush — hurry
  9. cue — a hint
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. pit — in a race
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. cue — a signal
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. pit — a hole
  17. bear — the animal
  18. fork — in a road
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. bank — for money
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. bank — of a river
  24. game — wild animals

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