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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: bank · hand · pitcher · plane · stick · craft · branch · mark

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. craft — a skill
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. plane — a tool
  5. craft — boats
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. bank — of a river
  13. hand — in cards
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. hand — help
  17. bank — for money
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. mark — a trace
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. branch — a division
  22. bank — for money
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. mark — to pay attention

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