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

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. fork — in a road
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. branch — a division
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. snap — to click
  16. rash — a series
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. foot — a measure
  20. rash — hasty
  21. lean — thin
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. lean — to bend

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