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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.

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: file · track · mark · bass · plane · leaves · bulb · branch

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. bass — low music
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. branch — a division
  5. file — a line of people
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. bass — the fish
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. mark — a grade
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. bulb — for light
  12. track — a song
  13. track — to keep track
  14. mark — a trace
  15. file — a document
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. plane — a tool
  19. track — a path
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. file — a tool

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