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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 120 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: calf · rush · can · bark · branch · sharp · field · trunk

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. field — for sport
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. field — a subject
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. bark — to shout
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. field — farmland
  14. can — a tin
  15. sharp — clever
  16. rush — hurry
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. can — to be able to
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. branch — a division
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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