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

Word bank: board · face · plane · branch · fall · roll · bank · can

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  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. roll — a list
  2. face — to point toward
  3. fall — to drop
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. roll — a cake
  6. plane — a tool
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. face — to confront
  9. bank — for money
  10. branch — a division
  11. can — a tin
  12. fall — to drop
  13. bank — for money
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. face — part of the head
  16. can — to be able to
  17. board — a committee
  18. board — to get on
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. can — a tin
  22. fall — the season
  23. roll — on a roll
  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