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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.

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: rush · fork · pit · cap · spell · bank · mouse · staff

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. spell — a short time
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. cap — a lid
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. pit — a hole
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. spell — magic
  10. staff — employees
  11. bank — for money
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. rush — hurry
  14. pit — in a race
  15. bank — for money
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. spell — letters
  18. staff — employees
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. bank — of a river
  21. cap — a hat
  22. fork — in a road
  23. cap — of ice
  24. rush — a thrill

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