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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: bowl · last · branch · trunk · toast · ruler · pit · cell

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. branch — a division
  3. cell — in biology
  4. last — to go on
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. last — finally
  11. toast — bread
  12. last — final
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. pit — in a race
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. cell — a phone
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. pit — a hole
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bowl — a dish

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