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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 116 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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. cue — a signal
  4. branch — a division
  5. cue — a hint
  6. cue — for pool
  7. land — ground
  8. face — to point toward
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. dip — to sink
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. stand — to bear
  18. land — a country
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. face — part of the head
  21. land — to come down
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. face — to confront

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