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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: pit · fork · firm · club · roll · hide · pass · stick

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. firm — decided
  3. club — a group
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. pit — in a race
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. club — for golf
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. firm — steady
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. pit — a hole
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. club — for dancing
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. fork — in a road
  22. roll — a cake
  23. firm — a company
  24. roll — a list

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