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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 120 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: fork · craft · branch · mark · net · arm · bound · spell

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. mark — a trace
  4. bound — certain
  5. net — after costs
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. craft — a skill
  9. net — for catching
  10. spell — a short time
  11. craft — boats
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. mark — a grade
  14. bound — tied together
  15. branch — a division
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. spell — letters
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. fork — in a road
  21. bound — obliged
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. net — in sport

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