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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. charge — electricity
  4. charge — a price
  5. branch — a division
  6. bulb — for light
  7. firm — steady
  8. cue — a hint
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. rest — a break
  12. rest — what's left
  13. cue — a signal
  14. cue — for pool
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. charge — in control
  17. firm — decided
  18. tube — a container
  19. tube — the underground
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. bulb — for light
  22. rest — what's left
  23. fork — in a road
  24. firm — a company

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