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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. wake — a trail
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. plane — a tool
  6. fine — all right
  7. cue — a signal
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. pop — soda
  10. cue — for pool
  11. cue — a hint
  12. wound — an injury
  13. can — a tin
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. can — to be able to
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. can — a tin
  18. branch — a division
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. fine — high quality
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. wound — an injury
  23. pop — music
  24. pop — to visit

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