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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: trunk · board · ball · branch · fork · rock · present · chest

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. branch — a division
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. fork — in a road
  5. chest — a box
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. chest — of your body
  8. rock — music
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. present — there
  11. ball — a dance
  12. board — to get on
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. present — the time now
  15. rock — a stone
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. present — a gift
  19. board — a committee
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. chest — of your body
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. trunk — of a car

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