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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: bulb · hide · ruler · fork · branch · mine · prune · ground

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. ground — the earth
  4. prune — to trim
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. mine — for digging
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bulb — for light
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. ground — a position
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. bulb — for light
  18. ground — crushed
  19. prune — to trim
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. branch — a division
  23. fork — in a road
  24. ruler — a monarch

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