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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 120 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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. can — a tin
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. can — a tin
  5. current — happening now
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. fork — in a road
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. current — of water
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. pitch — completely
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. can — to be able to
  16. branch — a division
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. plane — a tool
  19. current — electric
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. branch — of a bank

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