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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: current · bulb · deal · board · degree · cue · branch · fork

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. cue — a signal
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. cue — for pool
  7. fork — in a road
  8. current — happening now
  9. board — to get on
  10. deal — to handle
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. bulb — for light
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. branch — a division
  15. degree — temperature
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. current — electric
  19. current — of water
  20. bulb — for light
  21. degree — an amount
  22. board — a committee
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. degree — from a university

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