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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  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 tree
  2. wind — moving air
  3. bear — the animal
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. wind — moving air
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. bound — certain
  9. craft — boats
  10. vault — a safe
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bass — the fish
  16. bound — tied together
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. bound — obliged
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. branch — a division
  22. bass — low music
  23. craft — a skill
  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