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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: pass · cold · stick · mark · staff · fork · trunk · row

  1. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. cold — an illness
  4. fork — in a road
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. staff — a stick
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. row — a line
  13. staff — employees
  14. staff — employees
  15. pass — a permit
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. row — to paddle
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mark — a grade
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. cold — not warm
  24. mark — to pay attention

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