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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: leaves · pass · track · stem · face · fork · rash · fine

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. fine — high quality
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. fine — all right
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. stem — to come from
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. pass — a permit
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. track — a song
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. face — part of the head
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. rash — hasty
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. track — a path
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. track — to keep track
  21. face — to confront
  22. rash — a series
  23. face — to point toward
  24. leaves — of a tree

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