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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. object — an aim
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — for money
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. can — a tin
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. can — to be able to
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. bank — of a river
  13. can — a tin
  14. fork — in a road
  15. object — a thing
  16. scale — in music
  17. scale — size or range
  18. object — to protest

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