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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: last · stick · foot · current · cue · prune · branch · fork

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. last — finally
  3. current — of water
  4. current — electric
  5. cue — a hint
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. cue — a signal
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. current — happening now
  10. branch — a division
  11. prune — to trim
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. last — to go on
  16. fork — in a road
  17. foot — a measure
  18. last — final
  19. cue — for pool
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. prune — to trim
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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