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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: present · club · saw · bay · branch · plane · net · fall

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. fall — to drop
  7. fall — to drop
  8. net — in sport
  9. present — a gift
  10. plane — a tool
  11. present — there
  12. net — for catching
  13. fall — the season
  14. present — the time now
  15. saw — the tool
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. club — for golf
  18. club — for dancing
  19. net — after costs
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. club — a group
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. saw — the tool
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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