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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. file — a tool
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. chip — to eat
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. branch — a division
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. file — a document
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. stand — to bear
  19. file — a line of people
  20. saw — the tool
  21. chip — for betting
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. cabinet — ministers

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