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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: branch · swing · plane · face · trunk · wind · leaves · suit

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. branch — a division
  4. swing — to play on
  5. suit — clothes
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. plane — a tool
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. swing — music
  10. swing — in golf
  11. wind — moving air
  12. face — to confront
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. suit — to fit
  15. face — part of the head
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. face — to point toward
  18. suit — in cards
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. wind — moving air
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. plane — in geometry

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