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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: scale · rush · plane · stick · tube · jam · dip · branch

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. scale — in music
  6. tube — a container
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. plane — a tool
  11. dip — to sink
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. scale — size or range
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. rush — hurry
  21. branch — a division
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. plane — an aircraft

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