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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: can · trunk · branch · march · leaves · clip · plane · charge

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. march — the month
  3. charge — electricity
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. march — the month
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. charge — in control
  8. can — to be able to
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. charge — a price
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. march — music
  14. can — a tin
  15. clip — a video
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. clip — to cut
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. plane — a tool
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. branch — a division
  24. clip — for paper

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