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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. fork — in a road
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. charge — electricity
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. branch — a division
  10. file — a document
  11. key — in music
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — the tool
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. plane — a tool
  16. key — for a lock
  17. charge — a price
  18. key — the most important part
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. scale — in music
  21. file — a tool
  22. scale — size or range
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. file — a line of people

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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