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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. scale — size or range
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. craft — a skill
  8. scale — in music
  9. craft — boats
  10. branch — a division
  11. fork — in a road
  12. stand — to bear
  13. object — a thing
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. object — to protest
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. chair — a leader
  24. object — an aim

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