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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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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  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 — in a road
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. branch — a division
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. court — for sport
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. fine — high quality
  10. roll — a list
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. roll — a cake
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. snap — to click
  18. fine — all right
  19. court — of a king
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. court — of law
  23. leaves — lets stay
  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