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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: bank · calf · fork · last · branch · date · bass · stand

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. stand — to bear
  3. bank — for money
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. bass — low music
  6. branch — a division
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. last — finally
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. fork — in a road
  18. bass — the fish
  19. last — final
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. bank — for money
  22. date — the fruit
  23. last — to go on
  24. calf — a young 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