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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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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: fine · pop · track · bowl · plane · file · branch · pound

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. branch — a division
  3. track — a song
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. track — to keep track
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. fine — high quality
  9. plane — a tool
  10. pop — music
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. track — a path
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. pop — to visit
  16. pound — a weight
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. file — a tool
  20. file — a line of people
  21. fine — all right
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. pop — soda
  24. pound — to hit hard

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