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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.

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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: bear · trunk · stand · dip · track · rule · spring · branch

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. spring — a coil
  3. dip — to sink
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. spring — the season
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. stand — to bear
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — the animal
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. rule — a law
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. branch — a division
  19. spring — of water
  20. track — a path
  21. track — to keep track
  22. track — a song
  23. rule — government
  24. rule — to rule out

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