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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: plane · branch · sharp · bowl · snap · current

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. 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. plane — an aircraft
  2. branch — a division
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. snap — to click
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. current — electric
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. current — of water
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. sharp — clever
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. current — happening now
  18. 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