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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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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: date · pass · branch · roll · net · ball · toast · trunk

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. toast — bread
  3. net — in sport
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. roll — a list
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. date — the fruit
  10. ball — a dance
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. pass — a permit
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. net — after costs
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. branch — a division
  20. ball — a great time
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. roll — a cake
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. net — for catching

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