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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: mark · field · wave · plane · ball · cell · key · branch

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. branch — a division
  8. mark — a grade
  9. field — farmland
  10. field — for sport
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. plane — a tool
  16. field — a subject
  17. key — the most important part
  18. cell — a phone
  19. ball — a great time
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. cell — in biology
  22. mark — a trace
  23. ball — a dance
  24. key — for a lock

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