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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 · jam · cap · staff · board · file · pit · rush

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. staff — employees
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. rush — hurry
  8. pit — in a race
  9. cap — a lid
  10. staff — employees
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. file — a line of people
  13. staff — a stick
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. board — to get on
  16. file — a document
  17. cap — a hat
  18. cap — of ice
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. board — a committee
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. fork — in a road
  24. pit — a hole

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