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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 asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. spell — a short time
  3. branch — a division
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. can — a tin
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. spell — letters
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. plane — a tool
  18. can — to be able to
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. season — in sport
  22. season — of the year
  23. can — a tin
  24. coach — a trainer

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