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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. fork — in a road
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. bank — for money
  9. drill — the tool
  10. game — a match
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. bank — for money
  17. drill — a practice
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. game — wild animals
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. drill — army training
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. bank — of a river

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