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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 120 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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. mate — a partner
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. row — a line
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. staff — employees
  9. charge — electricity
  10. bat — the animal
  11. charge — in control
  12. staff — employees
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. charge — a price
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. branch — a division
  17. mate — a friend
  18. row — to paddle
  19. staff — a stick
  20. plane — a tool
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. mate — to breed
  24. nail — for a hammer

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