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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 120 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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. rest — a break
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. lie — to recline
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. rest — what's left
  9. board — to get on
  10. track — to keep track
  11. chip — for betting
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. plane — a tool
  16. track — a path
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. rest — what's left
  19. fork — in a road
  20. board — a committee
  21. branch — a division
  22. chip — to eat
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. track — a song

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