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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: bay · branch · game · stand · stick · plane · roll · foot

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. branch — a division
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. roll — a cake
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. roll — a list
  11. game — wild animals
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. plane — a tool
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. stand — to bear
  18. foot — a measure
  19. game — a match
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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