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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. bank — for money
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. wind — moving air
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. wind — moving air
  15. bank — for money
  16. ground — the earth
  17. branch — a division
  18. ground — a position
  19. ground — crushed
  20. bank — of a river
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. hide — animal skin

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