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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: spell · pit · court · ground · rock · branch · fork · hide

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. branch — a division
  3. ground — the earth
  4. spell — a short time
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. fork — in a road
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. ground — crushed
  11. pit — a hole
  12. court — for sport
  13. ground — a position
  14. court — of a king
  15. spell — letters
  16. rock — a stone
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. rock — music
  19. court — of law
  20. spell — magic
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. pit — in a race

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