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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: bay · date · hide · charge · hand · cabinet · branch · plane

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. charge — a price
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hand — help
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. date — the fruit
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. branch — a division
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. charge — electricity
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. plane — a tool
  21. hand — in cards
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. charge — in control

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