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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. mine — for digging
  3. fall — to drop
  4. can — a tin
  5. branch — a division
  6. fall — the season
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. fall — to drop
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. can — to be able to
  17. fork — in a road
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. can — a tin
  20. plane — a tool
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rest — a break

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