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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 ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. bark — to shout
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — of a river
  7. game — wild animals
  8. saw — the tool
  9. chip — to eat
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. kick — in football
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. saw — the tool
  20. chip — for betting
  21. bank — for money
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. game — a match

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