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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: arm · bay · tube · fork · staff · mouse · fine · branch

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. staff — employees
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. staff — employees
  7. fork — in a road
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. fine — all right
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. fine — high quality
  17. branch — a division
  18. staff — a stick
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. tube — the underground
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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