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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: kick · charge · trunk · branch · fork · present · kid · rock

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. present — the time now
  5. branch — a division
  6. charge — a price
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. kid — child
  9. rock — a stone
  10. charge — in control
  11. rock — music
  12. kid — to tease
  13. present — a gift
  14. charge — electricity
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. fork — in a road
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. present — there
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. kick — in football
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. branch — of a bank

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