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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: plane · branch · trunk · chip · track · rush · rock · cabinet

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. chip — to eat
  3. plane — a tool
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. rock — a stone
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. track — a path
  13. track — to keep track
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. rush — hurry
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. track — a song
  18. chip — for betting
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. branch — a division
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rock — music

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