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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 120 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: root · pass · stick · sharp · fork · craft · branch · fine

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. fork — in a road
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. branch — a division
  5. fine — high quality
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. craft — boats
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. craft — a skill
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. pass — a permit
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. root — the cause
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. root — of a word
  23. root — of a plant
  24. fine — all right

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