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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: cabinet · fork · leaves · ruler · mark · pitch · firm · chest

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. fork — in a road
  3. pitch — completely
  4. mark — a trace
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. firm — decided
  7. firm — steady
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. firm — a company
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. chest — a box
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. chest — of your body
  16. mark — a grade
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. chest — of your body
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. ruler — for measuring

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