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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: wind · branch · chair · toast · fork · bowl

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. fork — in a road
  3. branch — a division
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. chair — a leader
  14. wind — moving air
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. toast — bread
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. bowl — to roll

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