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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. charge — in control
  3. fork — in a road
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. vault — a safe
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. chip — to eat
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. charge — a price
  14. charge — electricity
  15. branch — a division
  16. bass — the fish
  17. chip — for betting
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. stem — to come from
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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