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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: hand · net · fine · foot · plane · bay · branch · bass

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. foot — a measure
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bass — low music
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. net — in sport
  9. fine — all right
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. fine — high quality
  14. hand — in cards
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. plane — a tool
  18. bass — the fish
  19. branch — a division
  20. net — for catching
  21. hand — help
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. net — after costs

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