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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: fork · object · present · stick · can · leaves · cue · row

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. present — a gift
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. object — a thing
  6. cue — for pool
  7. present — the time now
  8. object — an aim
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. cue — a signal
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. cue — a hint
  13. can — to be able to
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. can — a tin
  16. present — there
  17. can — a tin
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. row — a line
  20. fork — in a road
  21. row — to paddle
  22. object — to protest
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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