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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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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. mark — a trace
  3. club — for golf
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. degree — temperature
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. plane — a tool
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. club — for dancing
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. current — electric
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. degree — an amount
  16. degree — from a university
  17. mark — a grade
  18. branch — a division
  19. current — happening now
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. current — of water
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. club — a group

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