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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: current · snap · arm · tear · firm · plane · bulb · branch

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. snap — to click
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. plane — a tool
  8. branch — a division
  9. bulb — for light
  10. tear — to rip
  11. current — of water
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. tear — from crying
  15. firm — a company
  16. firm — steady
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. current — electric
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. tear — from crying
  21. current — happening now
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. firm — decided

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