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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: stem · branch · perch · foot · plane · fan · rash · court

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. rash — hasty
  4. court — of law
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. court — for sport
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. stem — to come from
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. foot — a measure
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. branch — a division
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. court — of a king
  18. plane — a tool
  19. rash — a series
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. perch — the fish
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. fan — to cool the air

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