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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: roll · mouse · trunk · cap · branch · bass · suit · content

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. cap — of ice
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. suit — to fit
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. content — the amount
  7. content — happy
  8. bass — low music
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. bass — the fish
  11. branch — a division
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. cap — a lid
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. cap — a hat
  19. suit — in cards
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. roll — a list
  23. roll — a cake
  24. suit — clothes

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