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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. fork — in a road
  3. chip — to eat
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. firm — decided
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. band — a music group
  9. cue — a hint
  10. bore — to drill
  11. branch — a division
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. firm — steady
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. rush — hurry
  17. firm — a company
  18. band — a ring
  19. cue — a signal
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. chip — for betting
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. bore — to tire
  24. cue — for pool

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