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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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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: branch · pit · dip · fork · bound · craft · lie · key

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. fork — in a road
  4. dip — to sink
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. lie — to recline
  7. craft — a skill
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. branch — a division
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. bound — certain
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. key — the most important part
  15. pit — in a race
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. key — in music
  18. pit — a hole
  19. bound — tied together
  20. craft — boats
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. key — for a lock
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bound — obliged

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