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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. spell — a short time
  4. snap — to click
  5. bank — for money
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. rest — a break
  8. rest — what's left
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. band — a ring
  13. spell — letters
  14. bank — for money
  15. band — a music group
  16. spell — magic
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. bank — of a river
  24. rest — what's left

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