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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: fine · stand · fork · cue · temple · pit · swing · band

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. fork — in a road
  3. swing — to play on
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. cue — for pool
  6. pit — in a race
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. band — a ring
  9. cue — a hint
  10. fine — high quality
  11. swing — in golf
  12. pit — a hole
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. swing — music
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. band — a music group
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stand — to bear
  20. cue — a signal
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. fine — all right

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