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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: bank · fork · mate · mark · spring · last · pitch · fan

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. fork — in a road
  3. last — final
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. spring — a coil
  6. spring — the season
  7. mark — a grade
  8. bank — for money
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. mate — a partner
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. mate — to breed
  13. mate — a friend
  14. last — to go on
  15. last — finally
  16. pitch — completely
  17. bank — of a river
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. spring — of water
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. bank — for money
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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