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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. plane — a tool
  3. key — in music
  4. key — for a lock
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. shower — rain
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. shower — to wash
  9. current — happening now
  10. current — electric
  11. prune — to trim
  12. prune — to trim
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. current — of water
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. fine — high quality
  18. tube — a container
  19. tube — the underground
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fine — all right
  22. key — the most important part
  23. branch — a division
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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