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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 strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. bank — for money
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bank — for money
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. wind — moving air
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. stand — to bear
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. bulb — for light
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. branch — a division
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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