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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 116 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 · bulb · trunk · branch · pitcher · rule · chip · fork

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  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. pitcher — a jug
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. chip — to eat
  5. fork — in a road
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. plane — a tool
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. rule — government
  13. rule — a law
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. chip — for betting
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. branch — a division
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — for light
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  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