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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 116 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: stick · file · fork · branch · current · nail · net · track

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  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. net — in sport
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. current — electric
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. file — a line of people
  6. branch — a division
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. track — a path
  10. net — after costs
  11. fork — in a road
  12. track — to keep track
  13. current — of water
  14. current — happening now
  15. file — a document
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. track — a song
  18. file — a tool
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. net — for catching
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  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