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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: firm · calf · stand · rush · branch · fork · track · bass

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. bass — low music
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. track — a path
  6. bass — the fish
  7. fork — in a road
  8. track — a song
  9. firm — a company
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. rush — hurry
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. branch — a division
  19. firm — steady
  20. track — to keep track
  21. stand — to bear
  22. firm — decided
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. branch — of a tree

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