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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · chair · spell · branch · fork · bore · stand · rash

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. rash — a series
  3. spell — letters
  4. bore — to drill
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. rash — hasty
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. spell — magic
  13. spell — a short time
  14. stand — to bear
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. fork — in a road
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. branch — a division
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bore — gave birth

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