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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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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: stick · fork · racket · present · date · sharp · leaves · track

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. fork — in a road
  5. track — a song
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. track — to keep track
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. track — a path
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. date — the fruit
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. present — there
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. present — a gift
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. present — the time now
  24. sharp — exactly

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