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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: fork · sharp · plane · file · ruler · stem · branch · deal

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  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. ruler — for measuring
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. fork — in a road
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. deal — to handle
  10. plane — a tool
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. sharp — clever
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. file — a document
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. file — a line of people
  20. stem — to come from
  21. file — a tool
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. branch — a division
  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