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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. spring — the season
  3. fork — in a road
  4. board — a committee
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. can — to be able to
  8. bulb — for light
  9. present — a gift
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. board — to get on
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. can — a tin
  14. spring — a coil
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bulb — for light
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. spring — of water
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. branch — a division
  23. present — there
  24. can — a tin

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