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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: fork · pit · bay · rest · fine · net · toast · pass

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. rest — what's left
  4. pit — a hole
  5. fork — in a road
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. net — after costs
  11. net — for catching
  12. pass — a permit
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — a break
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. toast — bread
  17. pit — in a race
  18. fine — all right
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. fine — high quality
  22. net — in sport
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. pass — to succeed

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