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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.

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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: board · cue · spring · cabinet · branch · plane · firm · club

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. board — a committee
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. firm — steady
  5. spring — a coil
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. board — to get on
  8. cue — for pool
  9. club — for golf
  10. spring — the season
  11. branch — a division
  12. club — for dancing
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. cue — a hint
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. cue — a signal
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. plane — a tool
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. club — a group
  22. firm — decided
  23. firm — a company
  24. plane — an aircraft

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