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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: plane · tube · charge · row · wake · bank · branch · leaves

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. charge — in control
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. branch — a division
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. bank — of a river
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. tube — the underground
  11. row — a line
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. plane — a tool
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — for money
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. charge — a price
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. tube — a container
  20. charge — electricity
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. row — to paddle
  24. branch — of a bank

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