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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: pass · rest · bear · fan · ruler · trunk · chip · branch

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. pass — a permit
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. branch — a division
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. rest — what's left
  13. chip — for betting
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. bear — the animal
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. rest — a break
  20. chip — to eat
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. ruler — a monarch

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