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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. deal — to handle
  7. land — to come down
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. fork — in a road
  11. land — a country
  12. staff — employees
  13. staff — employees
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. staff — a stick
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. board — to get on
  18. snap — to click
  19. board — a committee
  20. branch — a division
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. land — ground

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