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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: jam · plane · can · shower · key · branch · net · game

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  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. branch — a division
  2. game — wild animals
  3. shower — rain
  4. key — the most important part
  5. key — in music
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. shower — to wash
  9. can — a tin
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. can — a tin
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. can — to be able to
  16. key — for a lock
  17. net — after costs
  18. net — in sport
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. net — for catching
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. game — a match
  24. plane — a tool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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