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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: file · fork · mouse · season · chip · lean · stick · arm

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. lean — thin
  5. fork — in a road
  6. season — in sport
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. lean — to bend
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. file — a tool
  13. chip — for betting
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. chip — to eat
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. file — a line of people
  22. season — of the year
  23. file — a document
  24. lean — to rest against

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