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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. branch — a division
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. tube — a container
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. cue — a hint
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. tube — the underground
  13. mark — a grade
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. mark — a trace
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. cue — for pool
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. pound — a weight
  22. cue — a signal
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. branch — of a bank

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