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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
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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 · key · wave · trunk · bowl · suit · can · clip

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. can — a tin
  3. suit — clothes
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. branch — a division
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. key — the most important part
  9. can — to be able to
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. suit — in cards
  12. clip — for paper
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. key — in music
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. suit — to fit
  19. clip — to cut
  20. clip — a video
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. can — a tin
  23. key — for a lock
  24. bowl — to roll

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