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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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 · trunk · mine · hide · branch · board · cap · temple

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. mine — for digging
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. cap — a hat
  5. branch — a division
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. plane — a tool
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. board — a committee
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. cap — of ice
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. board — to get on
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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