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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. saw — the tool
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bear — the animal
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. object — to protest
  9. lean — to bend
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. object — a thing
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. saw — the tool
  19. lean — thin
  20. object — an aim
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. plane — a tool
  24. cabinet — ministers

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