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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: can · fork · degree · swing · leaves · stick · land · pit

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. swing — music
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. swing — to play on
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. degree — temperature
  8. land — to come down
  9. degree — an amount
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. can — a tin
  12. degree — from a university
  13. land — ground
  14. land — a country
  15. pit — in a race
  16. swing — in golf
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — to be able to
  19. pit — a hole
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. leaves — of a tree

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