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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: rock · wind · craft · cap · chip · hide · branch · plane

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. rock — a stone
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. wind — moving air
  5. cap — a hat
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. chip — to eat
  9. branch — a division
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. craft — a skill
  14. cap — of ice
  15. plane — a tool
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. chip — for betting
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. craft — boats
  23. cap — a lid
  24. rock — music

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