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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: rush · roll · pop · firm · branch · plane · stick · rock

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. pop — music
  7. firm — decided
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. roll — a cake
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. firm — steady
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. rush — hurry
  19. pop — to visit
  20. roll — a list
  21. pop — soda
  22. rock — music
  23. firm — a company
  24. branch — a division

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