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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: branch · patient · deal · prune · scale · mark · plane · craft

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. prune — to trim
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. deal — to handle
  6. scale — size or range
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. scale — in music
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. craft — a skill
  14. mark — a grade
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. prune — to trim
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. branch — a division
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. craft — boats
  23. mark — a trace
  24. deal — a big deal

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