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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. lean — thin
  5. spell — magic
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. bulb — for light
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. cap — of ice
  11. cap — a hat
  12. bulb — for light
  13. spell — letters
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. spell — a short time
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. branch — a division
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. cap — a lid
  23. lean — to bend
  24. trunk — of a tree

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