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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. fall — to drop
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. season — of the year
  9. season — in sport
  10. chest — of your body
  11. chest — a box
  12. bore — to tire
  13. fall — to drop
  14. suit — clothes
  15. band — a ring
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — in cards
  18. fall — the season
  19. chest — of your body
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. band — a music group
  22. branch — a division
  23. bore — to drill
  24. trunk — of a car

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