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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: content · plane · foot · wound · branch · file · chest · leaves

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. file — a document
  3. file — a line of people
  4. foot — a measure
  5. chest — of your body
  6. content — the amount
  7. file — a tool
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. chest — a box
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. wound — an injury
  17. plane — a tool
  18. chest — of your body
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. branch — a division
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. wound — an injury
  23. content — happy
  24. leaves — to go away

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