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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. suit — in cards
  3. charge — a price
  4. fork — in a road
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. shower — rain
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. shower — to wash
  13. bass — the fish
  14. suit — clothes
  15. bass — low music
  16. fine — all right
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. charge — in control
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. branch — a division
  23. fine — high quality
  24. charge — electricity

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