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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. can — to be able to
  5. can — a tin
  6. plane — a tool
  7. object — an aim
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. object — a thing
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. prune — to trim
  12. track — a song
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. spell — magic
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. branch — a division
  17. spell — a short time
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. object — to protest
  20. track — a path
  21. prune — to trim
  22. can — a tin
  23. spell — letters
  24. track — to keep track

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