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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. plane — a tool
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. staff — employees
  11. staff — employees
  12. current — happening now
  13. branch — a division
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. bat — the animal
  20. staff — a stick
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. current — of water
  23. pound — a weight
  24. current — electric

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