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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. drill — army training
  3. staff — employees
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. staff — a stick
  6. spell — a short time
  7. tear — from crying
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. branch — a division
  10. staff — employees
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. tear — to rip
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. tear — from crying
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. drill — a practice
  18. spell — magic
  19. drill — the tool
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. spell — letters
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. plane — a tool

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