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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.

Make a worksheet

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: ruler · arm · dip · spell · trunk · march · branch · patient

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. march — the month
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. dip — to sink
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. branch — a division
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. march — music
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. spell — magic
  17. march — the month
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. spell — a short time
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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