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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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. game — a match
  4. prune — to trim
  5. branch — a division
  6. firm — a company
  7. craft — a skill
  8. fork — in a road
  9. firm — steady
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. board — to get on
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. game — wild animals
  16. board — a committee
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. object — an aim
  19. object — to protest
  20. craft — boats
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. firm — decided
  23. prune — to trim
  24. object — a thing

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