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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: wave · row · plane · temple · branch · bat · scale · club

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. row — to paddle
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. row — a line
  5. scale — in music
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. club — a group
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. scale — size or range
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. branch — a division
  16. plane — a tool
  17. club — for dancing
  18. bat — the animal
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. club — for golf
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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