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

Word bank: bank · snap · branch · cell · suit · pit · firm · plane

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. firm — decided
  3. suit — in cards
  4. snap — to click
  5. firm — a company
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. suit — to fit
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. suit — clothes
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. bank — for money
  12. cell — in biology
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. cell — a phone
  17. pit — in a race
  18. bank — of a river
  19. pit — a hole
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. firm — steady
  22. bank — for money
  23. branch — a division
  24. plane — an aircraft

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