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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: pass · hand · plane · wound · can · tube · foot · branch

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. can — to be able to
  3. wound — an injury
  4. pass — a permit
  5. branch — a division
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. foot — a measure
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. tube — a container
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. can — a tin
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. hand — help
  17. wound — an injury
  18. hand — in cards
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. tube — the underground
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. can — a tin
  24. plane — a tool

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