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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 116 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: hand · bound · fork · mark · plane · branch

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. bound — tied together
  3. mark — a trace
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. fork — in a road
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. hand — help
  8. plane — a tool
  9. mark — a grade
  10. branch — a division
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. bound — obliged
  14. hand — in cards
  15. bound — certain
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. hand — part of the body

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