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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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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: stick · suit · can · leaves · fork · spell · branch · saw

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. spell — magic
  3. fork — in a road
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. saw — the tool
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. can — a tin
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. suit — clothes
  12. branch — a division
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. spell — letters
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. can — a tin
  18. suit — in cards
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. saw — the tool
  22. can — to be able to
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. spell — a short time

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