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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.

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: plane · date · coach · bear · cabinet · branch · bowl · trunk

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. date — the fruit
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. branch — a division
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. bear — the animal
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. plane — a tool
  24. bear — the animal

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