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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pit · safe · fork · suit · hand · degree · leaves · tube

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. hand — help
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. degree — temperature
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. tube — a container
  8. degree — from a university
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. degree — an amount
  13. tube — the underground
  14. hand — in cards
  15. pit — a hole
  16. suit — in cards
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. suit — clothes
  20. pit — in a race
  21. suit — to fit
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. leaves — lets stay

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