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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: content · branch · stick · plane · lash · pitcher · lie · band

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. band — a ring
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. content — the amount
  10. band — a music group
  11. plane — a tool
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. lie — to recline
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. content — happy
  24. branch — a division

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