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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. fork — in a road
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. firm — a company
  9. branch — a division
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. swing — in golf
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. sharp — clever
  16. firm — decided
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. firm — steady
  20. swing — music
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. swing — to play on
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. calf — of the leg

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