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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: fork · track · can · pitch · pit · bank · firm · sharp

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  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. track — to keep track
  2. can — to be able to
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. bank — for money
  5. track — a song
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. pit — a hole
  8. firm — steady
  9. can — a tin
  10. firm — a company
  11. can — a tin
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. pitch — completely
  14. firm — decided
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. bank — for money
  18. sharp — clever
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. track — a path
  21. bank — of a river
  22. pit — in a race
  23. sharp — exactly
  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