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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: club · coach · arm · branch · ruler · fork · cap · bulb

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. cap — a hat
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. club — for dancing
  13. club — a group
  14. bulb — for light
  15. cap — a lid
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. club — for golf
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bulb — for light
  21. cap — of ice
  22. branch — a division
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. fork — to eat with

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