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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 116 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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. object — a thing
  6. cue — a signal
  7. field — a subject
  8. cue — for pool
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. field — for sport
  13. object — to protest
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. scale — size or range
  18. branch — a division
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. cue — a hint
  21. object — an aim
  22. field — farmland
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. scale — in music

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