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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: arm · stick · coach · mouse · pitcher · hand · fork · branch

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. fork — in a road
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. hand — help
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. hand — in cards
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. branch — a division
  24. mouse — the animal

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