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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · kick · rash · bulb · board · branch · trunk · shower

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. branch — a division
  4. rash — a series
  5. fork — in a road
  6. bulb — for light
  7. shower — rain
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. board — a committee
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. shower — to wash
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. bulb — for light
  14. board — to get on
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. kick — in football
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. rash — hasty
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. fork — to eat with

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