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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 120 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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. branch — a division
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — to be able to
  6. tear — from crying
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. file — a tool
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. tear — from crying
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. file — a document
  18. can — a tin
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. tear — to rip
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. chair — a leader

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