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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: branch · racket · root · mug · stick · present · pound · fork

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. fork — in a road
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. present — there
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. root — of a word
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. root — of a plant
  12. mug — a face
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. pound — a weight
  15. branch — a division
  16. root — the cause
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. mug — a cup
  21. present — a gift
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. mug — to rob

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