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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.

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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 · craft · branch · present · temple · scale · plane · bound

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. craft — a skill
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. bound — tied together
  8. present — the time now
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. bound — certain
  12. bound — obliged
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. plane — a tool
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. scale — size or range
  19. present — there
  20. branch — a division
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. scale — in music
  23. present — a gift
  24. trunk — of a car

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