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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · game · tube · branch · plane · nail · face · drill

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. game — wild animals
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. tube — the underground
  5. drill — a practice
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. branch — a division
  8. drill — army training
  9. game — a match
  10. plane — a tool
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. tube — a container
  13. face — to confront
  14. fine — high quality
  15. fine — all right
  16. drill — the tool
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. face — to point toward
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. face — part of the head
  24. nail — for a hammer

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