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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 · wound · fork · branch · lash · swing · fan · chip

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. fork — in a road
  3. wound — an injury
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. swing — to play on
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. branch — a division
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. wound — an injury
  12. swing — music
  13. chip — to eat
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. swing — in golf
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. chip — for betting

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