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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. suit — to fit
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. spell — a short time
  5. bank — for money
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. suit — in cards
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. bank — for money
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. suit — clothes
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. spell — letters
  15. wake — a trail
  16. branch — a division
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. plane — a tool
  21. spell — magic
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. bank — of a river

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