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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: fork · bass · swing · deal · ruler · branch · band · trunk

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. fork — in a road
  4. bass — the fish
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. bass — low music
  13. swing — music
  14. swing — to play on
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. branch — a division
  17. band — a music group
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. deal — to handle
  20. band — a ring
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. ruler — for measuring

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