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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 usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. fork — in a road
  3. spell — a short time
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. bear — the animal
  7. branch — a division
  8. rush — hurry
  9. object — a thing
  10. land — a country
  11. spell — magic
  12. land — to come down
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. bear — the animal
  15. wax — to grow
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. object — to protest
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. spell — letters
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. land — ground
  23. object — an aim
  24. bear — to put up with

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