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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. bulb — for light
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. swing — to play on
  5. branch — a division
  6. bank — for money
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. bulb — for light
  13. swing — in golf
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — of a river
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. swing — music
  20. craft — boats
  21. deal — to handle
  22. craft — a skill
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. straw — dry grass

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