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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. bass — the fish
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bank — of a river
  8. tube — the underground
  9. fine — all right
  10. tube — a container
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. swing — in golf
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. bank — for money
  15. branch — a division
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. swing — to play on
  20. fork — in a road
  21. swing — music
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. bass — low music
  24. fine — high quality

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