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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: firm · trunk · cell · capital · can · hide · tube · branch

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. cell — in biology
  6. tube — the underground
  7. firm — steady
  8. can — a tin
  9. firm — a company
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. tube — a container
  12. capital — a city
  13. firm — decided
  14. can — a tin
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. capital — money
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. cell — a phone
  21. can — to be able to
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. branch — a division
  24. hide — to keep secret

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