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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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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. bank — of a river
  4. object — an aim
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. wound — an injury
  8. bank — for money
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bank — for money
  11. plane — a tool
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. object — a thing
  15. chip — for betting
  16. wound — an injury
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. object — to protest
  19. branch — a division
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. chip — to eat
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. plane — an aircraft

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