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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 116 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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. staff — employees
  3. row — a line
  4. tube — the underground
  5. ball — a great time
  6. bank — for money
  7. degree — temperature
  8. bank — for money
  9. ball — a dance
  10. tube — a container
  11. bank — of a river
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. degree — an amount
  15. staff — a stick
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. staff — employees
  18. track — a path
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. degree — from a university
  22. track — a song
  23. row — to paddle
  24. track — to keep track

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