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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: foot · plane · suit · branch · file · jam · sharp · shower

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. shower — to wash
  4. suit — in cards
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. plane — a tool
  7. sharp — clever
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. file — a document
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. foot — a measure
  18. file — a tool
  19. branch — a division
  20. shower — rain
  21. suit — clothes
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. suit — to fit
  24. file — a line of people

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