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

Word bank: face · stick · fork · deal · branch · trunk

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. face — part of the head
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. fork — in a road
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. deal — to handle
  12. face — to point toward
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. branch — a division
  18. face — to confront

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