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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 120 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: bat · pop · fork · can · calf · branch · bulb · firm

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. pop — soda
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. firm — a company
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bulb — for light
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. bulb — for light
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. can — to be able to
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. bat — the animal
  18. firm — decided
  19. branch — a division
  20. firm — steady
  21. pop — to visit
  22. fork — in a road
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. pop — music

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