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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 120 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: root · file · firm · plane · rush · branch · march · craft

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. firm — steady
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. rush — hurry
  6. march — the month
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. branch — a division
  9. file — a document
  10. plane — a tool
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. root — the cause
  13. firm — decided
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. march — the month
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. root — of a word
  18. file — a tool
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. march — music
  21. file — a line of people
  22. craft — a skill
  23. craft — boats
  24. root — of a plant

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