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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: calf · branch · trunk · spell · safe · stem · prune · plane

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. spell — a short time
  4. stem — to come from
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. prune — to trim
  14. branch — a division
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. plane — a tool
  18. spell — letters
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. prune — to trim
  24. safe — a strongbox

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