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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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. stand — to bear
  4. club — for dancing
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. club — for golf
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. mate — a friend
  9. branch — a division
  10. plane — a tool
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. mate — a partner
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. club — a group
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. mate — to breed
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. chair — a leader
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. plane — an aircraft

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