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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: squash · fork · mine · leaves · fine · content · rash · branch

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. fork — in a road
  3. content — the amount
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. branch — a division
  6. content — happy
  7. fine — high quality
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. mine — for digging
  14. rash — hasty
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. squash — to crush
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. squash — the sport
  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