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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — of a river
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. hand — help
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. rest — what's left
  8. pop — soda
  9. hand — in cards
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — a break
  14. press — newspapers
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. press — to push
  18. pop — to visit
  19. press — a publisher
  20. bank — for money
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. plane — a tool
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. pop — music

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