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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: spring · fork · nail · branch · season · can · snap · board

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. spring — a coil
  4. branch — a division
  5. board — to get on
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — a tin
  9. snap — to click
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. can — to be able to
  13. season — of the year
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. season — in sport
  17. board — a committee
  18. spring — of water
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. spring — the season

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