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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: nail · trunk · branch · pound · cabinet · leaves · jam · spell

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. spell — letters
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. spell — a short time
  10. branch — a division
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. pound — a weight
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. spell — magic
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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