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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 120 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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. 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. fork — in a road
  2. root — of a word
  3. current — happening now
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. branch — a division
  6. root — the cause
  7. wound — an injury
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. current — electric
  14. wound — an injury
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. root — of a plant
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. current — of water
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. 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