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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: fork · bound · branch · bulb · bank · can · rush · spring

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. bank — for money
  3. can — to be able to
  4. rush — hurry
  5. can — a tin
  6. bank — for money
  7. spring — of water
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. spring — the season
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bank — of a river
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — for light
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. can — a tin
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. branch — a division
  20. bound — certain
  21. bound — tied together
  22. bound — obliged
  23. spring — a coil
  24. rush — to hurry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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