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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. charge — in control
  9. charge — a price
  10. charge — electricity
  11. dip — to sink
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. rock — music
  16. branch — a division
  17. plane — a tool
  18. dip — a sauce

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