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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 116 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: tube · bore · face · straw · trunk · branch · ball · bank

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. ball — a dance
  4. bank — for money
  5. face — to point toward
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. face — part of the head
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. tube — the underground
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bore — to drill
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. bank — of a river
  19. face — to confront
  20. bank — for money
  21. ball — a great time
  22. bore — to tire
  23. branch — a division
  24. tube — a container

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