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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: file · saw · arm · bank · branch · mine

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. saw — the tool
  3. file — a line of people
  4. saw — the tool
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — of a river
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. file — a document
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. mine — for digging
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. branch — a division
  16. file — a tool
  17. bank — for money
  18. branch — of a bank

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