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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: branch · object · foot · kick · cell · fork

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. branch — a division
  6. object — a thing
  7. foot — a measure
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. kick — in football
  10. cell — in biology
  11. fork — in a road
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. object — to protest
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. cell — a phone
  18. object — an aim

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