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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. branch — a division
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. drill — a practice
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. tube — a container
  8. pit — in a race
  9. tube — the underground
  10. fork — in a road
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. present — a gift
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. present — there
  20. drill — the tool
  21. pit — a hole
  22. drill — army training
  23. present — the time now
  24. ruler — for measuring

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