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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: key · plane · court · date · branch · bore · band · mark

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. band — a ring
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. court — for sport
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. mark — a trace
  8. key — the most important part
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. mark — a grade
  11. court — of a king
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. court — of law
  14. band — a music group
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. date — the fruit
  17. key — in music
  18. bore — to drill
  19. key — for a lock
  20. bore — to tire
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. plane — a tool
  23. branch — a division
  24. date — on the calendar

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