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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.

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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: pop · pitcher · fork · march · ruler · band · pit · chip

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. pop — music
  3. march — the month
  4. chip — for betting
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. march — the month
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. band — a ring
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. band — a music group
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. pit — a hole
  16. march — music
  17. pit — in a race
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. chip — to eat
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. pop — to visit
  23. pop — soda
  24. band — a rubber band

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