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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.

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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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. bound — tied together
  4. board — a committee
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. stand — to bear
  8. board — to get on
  9. bound — certain
  10. branch — a division
  11. bound — obliged
  12. land — ground
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. bank — for money
  15. prune — to trim
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. prune — to trim
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. bank — of a river
  21. land — a country
  22. land — to come down
  23. bank — for money
  24. plane — a tool

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