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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 120 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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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: ball · file · deal · plane · cue · cell · branch · stem

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. plane — a tool
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. file — a document
  6. cue — a hint
  7. branch — a division
  8. file — a tool
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. ball — a great time
  12. file — a line of people
  13. cell — a phone
  14. deal — to handle
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. cue — for pool
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. cue — a signal
  21. stem — to come from
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. cell — in biology
  24. ball — a dance

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