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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: key · wound · bay · stem · plane · fan · branch · roll

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. key — in music
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. stem — to come from
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. branch — a division
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. key — for a lock
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. wound — an injury
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. plane — a tool
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. roll — a list
  24. roll — a cake

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