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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. game — wild animals
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. mark — a grade
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. mark — a trace
  11. branch — a division
  12. file — a document
  13. file — a tool
  14. game — a match
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. file — a line of people
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. mark — to pay attention

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