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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: ball · stem · branch · stick · craft · fork

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. craft — boats
  5. ball — a dance
  6. stem — to come from
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. craft — a skill
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. ball — a great time
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. branch — a division
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. fork — in a road

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