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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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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: stand · branch · bank · plane · rock · mine · object · mark

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. object — to protest
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. rock — a stone
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. bank — for money
  10. mark — a grade
  11. plane — a tool
  12. mine — for digging
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. object — an aim
  17. stand — to bear
  18. rock — music
  19. object — a thing
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. mark — a trace
  22. branch — a division
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. bank — of a river

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