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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: fine · track · wave · board · plane · branch · pit · spring

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. board — to get on
  3. fine — high quality
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. plane — a tool
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. fine — all right
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. track — a song
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. board — a committee
  15. branch — a division
  16. track — a path
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. track — to keep track
  21. pit — a hole
  22. spring — the season
  23. spring — of water
  24. pit — in a race

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