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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 120 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: bound · capital · fork · sharp · deal · stick · staff · pass

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. sharp — clever
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. deal — to handle
  6. bound — certain
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. pass — a permit
  9. fork — in a road
  10. bound — obliged
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. staff — employees
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. capital — a city
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. capital — money
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. staff — employees
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. bound — tied together
  24. staff — a stick

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