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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: row · fork · branch · spell · dip · nail · stand · clip

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. clip — a video
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. branch — a division
  8. row — to paddle
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. clip — for paper
  12. spell — magic
  13. fork — in a road
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. row — a line
  16. spell — a short time
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. clip — to cut
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. stand — to bear
  23. dip — to sink
  24. spell — letters

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