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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: fork · pit · object · cue · bound · land · pass · rock

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. land — a country
  3. fork — in a road
  4. cue — a hint
  5. pit — a hole
  6. cue — for pool
  7. object — a thing
  8. rock — a stone
  9. bound — obliged
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. object — an aim
  12. bound — tied together
  13. pit — in a race
  14. object — to protest
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. rock — music
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. pass — a permit
  19. land — to come down
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. cue — a signal
  23. bound — certain
  24. fork — to eat with

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