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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: branch · present · stick · fork · deal · stem

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. fork — in a road
  6. deal — to handle
  7. present — a gift
  8. branch — a division
  9. present — the time now
  10. present — there
  11. stem — to come from
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. branch — of a bank

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