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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 usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. bank — of a river
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bank — for money
  7. chip — for betting
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. suit — in cards
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. sharp — clever
  13. clip — a video
  14. chip — to eat
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. suit — clothes
  17. race — the arms race
  18. bank — for money
  19. clip — for paper
  20. fork — in a road
  21. race — humankind
  22. race — a contest
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. clip — to cut

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