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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. stand — to bear
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. pit — in a race
  6. pit — a hole
  7. craft — a skill
  8. last — finally
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. branch — a division
  11. last — final
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bank — for money
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. craft — boats
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. bank — for money
  21. plane — a tool
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. trunk — of a tree

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