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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: branch · prune · plane · toast · season · arm · dip · bowl

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. season — in sport
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. plane — a tool
  8. branch — a division
  9. prune — to trim
  10. toast — bread
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. prune — to trim
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. season — of the year
  16. dip — to sink
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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