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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.

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 · file · board · branch · trunk · rush · ball · chest

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. file — a document
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. chest — of your body
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. board — a committee
  10. branch — a division
  11. chest — a box
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. file — a tool
  14. chest — of your body
  15. ball — a dance
  16. ball — a great time
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. rush — hurry
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. board — to get on
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. branch — 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