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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. branch — a division
  5. bear — the animal
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. plane — a tool
  8. court — of a king
  9. fork — in a road
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. court — of law
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. rest — a break
  18. rest — what's left
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. court — for sport
  21. kick — in football
  22. bear — the animal
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. rest — what's left

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