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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: spell · season · branch · mouse · wind · fork · spring · pass

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. fork — in a road
  3. spell — a short time
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. season — of the year
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. wind — moving air
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. wind — moving air
  11. spring — the season
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. pass — a permit
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. season — in sport
  19. spring — a coil
  20. spell — magic
  21. spring — of water
  22. spell — letters
  23. branch — a division
  24. season — to add flavour

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