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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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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 · cell · cabinet · band · branch · firm · bark · tube

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. branch — a division
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. cell — in biology
  7. band — a music group
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. can — to be able to
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. band — a ring
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. bark — to shout
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. can — a tin
  17. tube — a container
  18. firm — steady
  19. firm — decided
  20. can — a tin
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. firm — a company
  23. tube — the underground
  24. tube — in a tire

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