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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: snap · temple · sharp · fork · field · mouse · track · pit

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  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. pit — in a race
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. fork — in a road
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. track — to keep track
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. pit — a hole
  11. snap — to click
  12. track — a song
  13. field — farmland
  14. sharp — clever
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. field — for sport
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. field — a subject
  23. track — a path
  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