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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 120 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 · fork · object · rash · present · ruler · wax · branch

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. branch — a division
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. rash — hasty
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. object — to protest
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. present — a gift
  14. object — a thing
  15. wax — to grow
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. rash — a series
  20. present — there
  21. present — the time now
  22. object — an aim
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. wax — in the ear

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