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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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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: fall · mark · plane · hide · branch · dip · bay · racket

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. branch — a division
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. mark — a grade
  8. fall — to drop
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. dip — to sink
  13. mark — a trace
  14. plane — a tool
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. fall — to drop
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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