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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. last — finally
  3. branch — a division
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — a tin
  6. pass — a permit
  7. roll — a list
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. roll — a cake
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. can — to be able to
  16. last — final
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. last — to go on
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. coach — a trainer

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