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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. fork — in a road
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. bear — the animal
  5. row — to paddle
  6. saw — the tool
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. fine — all right
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. bear — the animal
  11. row — a line
  12. saw — the tool
  13. fine — high quality
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. fork — to eat with

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