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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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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: branch · swing · stand · trunk · cap · wax · mark · rush

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. swing — to play on
  4. wax — to grow
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. branch — a division
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. mark — a trace
  10. cap — a lid
  11. stand — to bear
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. swing — music
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. rush — hurry
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. cap — of ice
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. cap — a hat
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. swing — in golf
  24. mark — to pay attention

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