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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: spell · key · branch · bear · stand · cell · fork · nail

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. stand — to bear
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. cell — in biology
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. bear — the animal
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. branch — a division
  11. fork — in a road
  12. spell — magic
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. key — for a lock
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. key — the most important part
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. bear — the animal
  20. spell — a short time
  21. cell — a phone
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. spell — letters
  24. nail — for a hammer

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