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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 · cue · fall · suit · racket · field · vault · pass

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. pass — a permit
  3. fall — to drop
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. vault — a safe
  6. cue — a signal
  7. field — for sport
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. cue — for pool
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. fork — in a road
  16. suit — clothes
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. suit — to fit
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. fall — the season
  21. field — a subject
  22. cue — a hint
  23. suit — in cards
  24. racket — for tennis

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