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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 120 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 · branch · drill · charge · suit · ruler · squash · kick

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. drill — a practice
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. drill — the tool
  5. branch — a division
  6. fork — in a road
  7. suit — in cards
  8. drill — army training
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. charge — electricity
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. squash — to crush
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. charge — in control
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. charge — a price
  22. suit — clothes
  23. kick — in football
  24. squash — the sport

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