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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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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: fall · stand · safe · cabinet · hide · clip · trunk · branch

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. clip — for paper
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. fall — to drop
  8. branch — a division
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. fall — to drop
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. fall — the season
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stand — to bear
  21. clip — to cut
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. clip — a video
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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