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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 120 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: leaves · wake · pitch · trunk · band · chip · bowl · branch

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. band — a music group
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. wake — a trail
  7. pitch — completely
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. branch — a division
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. chip — to eat
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. band — a ring
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. chip — for betting
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. leaves — 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