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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. board — to get on
  4. fork — in a road
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. club — for dancing
  7. band — a ring
  8. staff — employees
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. chip — to eat
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. staff — a stick
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. club — for golf
  19. club — a group
  20. chip — for betting
  21. board — a committee
  22. band — a music group
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. staff — employees

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