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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: fork · branch · nail · straw · bass · mate · ruler · plane

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. plane — a tool
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bass — low music
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. mate — a friend
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. fork — in a road
  13. bass — the fish
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. mate — a partner
  17. mate — to breed
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. branch — a division
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. bass — the instrument

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