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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. deal — to handle
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. cell — in biology
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. dip — to sink
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. foot — a measure
  10. field — farmland
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. branch — a division
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. field — for sport
  18. plane — a tool
  19. field — a subject
  20. cell — a phone
  21. mark — a trace
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mark — a grade
  24. foot — part of the body

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