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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: can · suit · key · fork · calf · land · straw · branch

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. key — in music
  3. land — ground
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. can — a tin
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. land — a country
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. branch — a division
  10. key — for a lock
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — to be able to
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. suit — in cards
  17. key — the most important part
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. land — to come down
  20. fork — in a road
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. suit — to fit
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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