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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: toast · ruler · pit · kick · fan · pass · branch · fork

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. pass — a permit
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. branch — a division
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. toast — bread
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. pit — a hole
  16. pit — in a race
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. fork — in a road

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