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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: branch · date · hide · bark · bank · deal · fork · swing

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. 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. date — on the calendar
  2. fork — in a road
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. branch — a division
  6. deal — to handle
  7. swing — music
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. date — the fruit
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. swing — to play on
  15. swing — in golf
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — of a river
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. bank — for money
  24. 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