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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: snap · mine · fork · can · cue · plane · wake · chip

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. wake — a trail
  4. can — a tin
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. snap — to click
  7. can — a tin
  8. chip — to eat
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. plane — a tool
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. can — to be able to
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. chip — for betting
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. cue — a hint
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. mine — for digging
  20. cue — a signal
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. cue — for pool
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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