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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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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: prune · fork · arm · suit · branch · bay · vault · leaves

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. prune — to trim
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. prune — to trim
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. fork — in a road
  17. vault — a safe
  18. suit — to fit
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. branch — a division
  22. suit — clothes
  23. suit — in cards
  24. leaves — of a tree

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