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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: snap · fork · cue · mark · bay · fan · branch · pit

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. cue — a signal
  7. fork — in a road
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. branch — a division
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. cue — a hint
  13. mark — a grade
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. pit — in a race
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. cue — for pool
  19. pit — a hole
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. snap — to click
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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