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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. content — the amount
  3. spring — a coil
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. charge — in control
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. board — to get on
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. charge — a price
  11. board — a committee
  12. bank — for money
  13. spring — of water
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. content — happy
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. charge — electricity
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. spring — the season
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bank — for money

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