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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: pass · fork · stand · object · nail · mate · band · fan

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. mate — a friend
  3. fork — in a road
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. band — a music group
  7. object — an aim
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. object — to protest
  14. object — a thing
  15. band — a ring
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. pass — a permit
  20. stand — to bear
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. mate — to breed
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. fan — a supporter

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