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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: branch · plane · last · ball · arm · content · deal · can

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  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. deal — to handle
  2. branch — a division
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. ball — a great time
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. can — a tin
  9. ball — a dance
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. can — to be able to
  13. last — final
  14. content — happy
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. last — finally
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. content — the amount
  20. last — to go on
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. can — a tin
  23. branch — of a bank
  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