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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 124 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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. branch — a division
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. charge — electricity
  7. land — to come down
  8. craft — a skill
  9. lean — thin
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. rock — a stone
  12. land — ground
  13. lean — to bend
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. mine — for digging
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. land — a country
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. fork — in a road
  20. charge — a price
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. rock — music
  23. charge — in control
  24. craft — boats

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