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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: can · key · branch · plane · trunk · stem · degree · band

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. band — a ring
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. can — a tin
  7. band — a music group
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. degree — an amount
  11. key — in music
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. branch — a division
  14. can — to be able to
  15. plane — a tool
  16. can — a tin
  17. key — for a lock
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. stem — to come from
  20. degree — from a university
  21. degree — temperature
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. key — the most important part

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