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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · mark · fine · hand · leaves · nail · rock · pit

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. mark — a grade
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. pit — a hole
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. rock — a stone
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. hand — help
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. hand — in cards
  14. mark — a trace
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. fine — all right
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. fork — in a road
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. rock — music
  24. fine — high quality

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