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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.

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: kid · leaves · bank · trunk · land · stand · branch · hide

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. kid — to tease
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. land — ground
  8. branch — a division
  9. stand — to bear
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. bank — of a river
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. land — a country
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — for money
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. kid — child
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. land — to come down
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. branch — of a tree

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