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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: stem · bowl · game · branch · fork · bulb

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  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. fork — in a road
  2. game — a match
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. bulb — for light
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. branch — a division
  15. stem — to come from
  16. bulb — for light
  17. game — wild animals
  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