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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: court · patient · branch · row · prune · drill · suit · fork

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. court — for sport
  4. row — a line
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. fork — in a road
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. row — to paddle
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. drill — army training
  13. court — of a king
  14. prune — to trim
  15. suit — clothes
  16. suit — to fit
  17. drill — the tool
  18. branch — a division
  19. prune — to trim
  20. court — of law
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. suit — in cards

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