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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: trunk · bark · scale · can · branch · track · wound · saw

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. wound — an injury
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. wound — an injury
  6. branch — a division
  7. scale — size or range
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. can — a tin
  13. track — a path
  14. scale — in music
  15. can — to be able to
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. saw — the tool
  18. track — to keep track
  19. can — a tin
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. track — a song
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bark — to shout
  24. scale — for weighing

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