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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: rule · branch · spell · staff · fork · stand · pitch · calf

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. spell — a short time
  3. fork — in a road
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. branch — a division
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. staff — employees
  13. rule — a law
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. staff — a stick
  17. pitch — completely
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. spell — letters
  20. rule — government
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. staff — employees
  23. spell — magic
  24. stand — to bear

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