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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 116 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: bay · racket · branch · mate · snap · rock · ruler · plane

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. branch — a division
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. snap — to click
  9. mate — to breed
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. rock — a stone
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. plane — a tool
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. mate — a partner
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. rock — music
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. mate — a friend

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