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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 116 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: mate · hide · trunk · straw · branch · face · bear · safe

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. face — part of the head
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bear — the animal
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. face — to confront
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. mate — a friend
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. branch — a division
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. mate — to breed
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. bear — the animal
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. face — to point toward
  23. mate — a partner
  24. hide — animal skin

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