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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: craft · plane · branch · fan · bank · cue · nail · hand

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. branch — a division
  3. plane — a tool
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. cue — a hint
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bank — of a river
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. cue — for pool
  12. hand — help
  13. bank — for money
  14. craft — boats
  15. craft — a skill
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. hand — in cards
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bank — for money
  24. craft — a handicraft

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