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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.

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 · stick · spell · jam · hide · saw · branch · plane

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. fork — in a road
  3. plane — a tool
  4. spell — magic
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. spell — letters
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. saw — the tool
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. spell — a short time
  24. saw — the tool

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