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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: fork · court · lie · stand · date · board · pit · snap

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. lie — to recline
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. snap — to click
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. court — of law
  12. stand — to bear
  13. pit — a hole
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. court — for sport
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. court — of a king
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. date — the fruit
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. board — a committee
  23. pit — in a race
  24. board — to get on

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