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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. plane — a tool
  9. fork — in a road
  10. board — a committee
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. board — to get on
  20. foot — a measure
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. bat — the animal
  24. branch — a division

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