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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 ________________ took off on time.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. swing — in golf
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. plane — a tool
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. bear — the animal
  10. prune — to trim
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. swing — to play on
  14. scale — size or range
  15. branch — a division
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. swing — music
  18. board — to get on
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bear — the animal
  22. saw — the tool
  23. scale — in music
  24. board — a committee

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