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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 · chip · mate · coach · rock · cap · branch · cell

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. chip — to eat
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. rock — music
  10. cap — a lid
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. cap — of ice
  14. cap — a hat
  15. branch — a division
  16. mate — a partner
  17. chip — for betting
  18. cell — a phone
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. mate — to breed
  23. rock — a stone
  24. mate — a friend

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