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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: deal · trunk · wave · staff · bay · branch · can · toast

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. deal — to handle
  3. staff — employees
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. staff — a stick
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. branch — a division
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. staff — employees
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — to be able to
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. can — a tin
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. trunk — of a tree

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