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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: track · arm · fine · fork · deal · bulb · cue · pass

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. bulb — for light
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. fine — all right
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. bulb — for light
  8. fine — high quality
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. cue — a hint
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. cue — for pool
  14. track — to keep track
  15. track — a path
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. deal — to handle
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. fork — in a road
  20. track — a song
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. cue — a signal
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. bulb — of a plant

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