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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. bear — the animal
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. branch — a division
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. staff — employees
  9. staff — employees
  10. scale — in music
  11. bear — the animal
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. plane — a tool
  14. season — in sport
  15. staff — a stick
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. can — to be able to
  18. can — a tin
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. can — a tin
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. scale — size or range

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