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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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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: kick · bear · bay · rest · land · trunk · branch · leaves

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. branch — a division
  3. kick — in football
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. bear — the animal
  6. land — a country
  7. rest — what's left
  8. land — ground
  9. land — to come down
  10. rest — a break
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. rest — what's left

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