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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: ruler · fork · pop · chip · wake · patient · branch · track

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. branch — a division
  5. pop — to visit
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. chip — to eat
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. chip — for betting
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. track — a song
  15. pop — music
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. track — a path
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. wake — a trail
  20. pop — soda
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. track — to keep track
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. fork — in a road

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