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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.

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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: plane · bank · ruler · wake · mouse · trunk · branch · chair

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. bank — for money
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. plane — a tool
  10. bank — for money
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. branch — a division
  14. bank — of a river
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. wake — a trail
  22. chair — a leader
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. chair — a professorship

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