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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: cue · pit · leaves · degree · pass · fork · fall · stick

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. fall — to drop
  3. pit — in a race
  4. cue — a signal
  5. degree — from a university
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. degree — temperature
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. fall — to drop
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. fork — in a road
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. fall — the season
  16. pit — a hole
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. cue — a hint
  20. degree — an amount
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. pass — a permit

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