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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 116 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: wake · pop · calf · rock · pit · spring · fork · bowl

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. spring — of water
  6. pit — a hole
  7. spring — a coil
  8. pop — to visit
  9. spring — the season
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. pop — music
  13. rock — music
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. rock — a stone
  17. pop — soda
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. fork — in a road
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. wake — a trail

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