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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
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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: fork · pass · bound · craft · wound · firm · branch · trunk

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. bound — tied together
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. wound — an injury
  6. firm — steady
  7. firm — a company
  8. craft — a skill
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. branch — a division
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. bound — obliged
  13. craft — boats
  14. fork — in a road
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. pass — a permit
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. wound — an injury
  19. firm — decided
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. bound — certain
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. fork — a garden tool

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