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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: branch · degree · rash · safe · saw · spring · plane · can

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. rash — a series
  4. saw — the tool
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. can — a tin
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. branch — a division
  13. rash — hasty
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. degree — from a university
  16. spring — of water
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — to be able to
  19. degree — temperature
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. degree — an amount
  22. saw — the tool
  23. spring — the season
  24. plane — a tool

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