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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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468
Word bank
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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. band — a ring
  3. fork — in a road
  4. present — there
  5. key — in music
  6. band — a music group
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. wound — an injury
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. key — for a lock
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. present — the time now
  14. key — the most important part
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. wound — an injury
  17. present — a gift
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. pitch — completely
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. branch — a division

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