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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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. spell — a short time
  3. can — a tin
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. can — a tin
  6. march — the month
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. march — the month
  10. scale — in music
  11. cue — a signal
  12. cue — for pool
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. cue — a hint
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. branch — a division
  17. scale — size or range
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. can — to be able to
  20. march — music
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. spell — magic
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. spell — letters

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