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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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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 · foot · kid · wave · file · plane · cell · rest

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. file — a line of people
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. plane — a tool
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. rest — a break
  8. file — a document
  9. foot — a measure
  10. file — a tool
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. cell — in biology
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. cell — a phone
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. kid — to tease
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. rest — what's left
  21. branch — a division
  22. kid — child
  23. rest — what's left
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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