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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: hand · wind · hide · fork · mug · bark · branch · vault

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. fork — in a road
  3. hand — help
  4. wind — moving air
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. vault — a safe
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. mug — a face
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. mug — to rob
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. hand — in cards
  18. wind — moving air
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. bark — to shout
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. mug — a cup
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. fork — to eat with

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