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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: snap · lie · cabinet · trunk · wake · rule · rush · branch

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. rule — government
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. wake — a trail
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. rush — hurry
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. branch — a division
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. snap — to click
  22. lie — to recline
  23. rule — a law
  24. lie — an untruth

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