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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. fork — in a road
  7. charge — electricity
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. charge — a price
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. sharp — clever
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. charge — in control
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. ball — a great time
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. branch — a division

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