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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. pit — a hole
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. board — to get on
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. fork — in a road
  10. charge — electricity
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. board — a committee
  14. charge — a price
  15. charge — in control
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. pit — in a race
  18. stem — to come from
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. branch — a division
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. bowl — to roll

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