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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. degree — from a university
  5. degree — temperature
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. date — the fruit
  8. fork — in a road
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. degree — an amount
  12. branch — a division
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. charge — electricity
  16. charge — a price
  17. pit — in a race
  18. pit — a hole
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. season — in sport
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. plane — a tool
  24. season — of the year

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