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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. suit — to fit
  4. chair — a leader
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. craft — boats
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. suit — in cards
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. branch — a division
  19. craft — a skill
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. suit — clothes
  24. craft — a handicraft

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