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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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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: fork · bank · drill · ruler · arm · season · chip · pass

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. season — of the year
  3. bank — for money
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. season — in sport
  7. fork — in a road
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. chip — for betting
  10. drill — army training
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. pass — a permit
  16. bank — of a river
  17. chip — to eat
  18. drill — the tool
  19. drill — a practice
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. bank — for money
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. ruler — a monarch

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