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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. branch — a division
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. fork — in a road
  5. last — finally
  6. bulb — for light
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. game — wild animals
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. bulb — for light
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. ground — crushed
  16. ground — a position
  17. game — a match
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. last — final
  21. last — to go on
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. plane — a tool
  24. stand — to bear

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