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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. file — a line of people
  3. tube — the underground
  4. staff — employees
  5. file — a document
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. pit — a hole
  9. branch — a division
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. file — a tool
  12. staff — employees
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. tube — a container
  15. charge — in control
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. charge — a price
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. charge — electricity
  20. capital — a city
  21. pit — in a race
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. staff — a stick
  24. capital — 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