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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: fork · ground · fine · sharp · face · rush · chip · arm

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. fine — all right
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. ground — the earth
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. face — part of the head
  10. fork — in a road
  11. face — to confront
  12. ground — a position
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. sharp — clever
  15. rush — hurry
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. fine — high quality
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. chip — to eat
  20. chip — for betting
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. ground — crushed
  23. face — to point toward
  24. arm — part of the body

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